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May 16, 2007
For More Information Contact:
Keith Reopelle (608) 251-7020 Ext.
11
Cell: (608) 212-2935
Energy efficient school proposal rejected by Joint Finance Committee Republicans
(Madison, WI) At Tuesday’s meeting of the state legislature’s powerful Joint Finance Committee (JFC), Republican members rejected a proposal to fund statewide energy efficiency improvements in schools. In spite of the proposal’s potential for easing local tax burdens, all eight Republican members of the JFC voted it down.
“There are tremendous energy savings available in schools that can dramatically reduce energy consumption by school districts and consequently reduce pollution from dirty coal plants,” said Keith Reopelle, Program Director for Clean Wisconsin. “Clearly, investing in greater energy efficiency in our schools benefits the school districts’ bottom lines, the local tax burden, and the environment: everybody wins.”
Senator Mark Miller (D-Monona) introduced the motion to issue $50 million in “Energy Efficiency Revenue Bonds” for improvements in operations and equipment in schools that would pay off the loans. Since energy costs account for 16 percent of the average Wisconsin school district’s “controllable costs” school districts would save millions of dollars by reducing utility costs and, in turn, reduce pressure for local tax increases.
“Senator Miller deserves a lot of credit for proposing a win-win solution that advances energy independence and reduces the local tax burden,” said Reopelle. “The Republican legislators on this committee are clearly out of touch with the average citizen’s interest in energy independence, better schools, reduced pollution and reduced school costs.”
Two examples of what can be accomplished are the West Allis and Waukesha school districts. Both districts reduced their energy consumption by more than 25% in just two to three years. The West Allis School District reduced its utility bills by more than $1 million annually by making systems changes that cut natural gas use by 30%, electricity use by 26%, and water & sewer use by 21%.
“The opposition to energy efficient schools is penny wise and dollar foolish,” said Reopelle. “It’s hard to imagine a better use of bonding given that the investments will pay for the bonding in a very short time frame.”
According to Department of Administration Energy Division statistics, Wisconsin currently spends more than $12 billion each year importing fossil fuels including oil, coal and natural gas to meet state energy needs.
“Every dollar we invest in energy efficiency would be a dollar kept in Wisconsin instead of being sent to Texas, Wyoming or the Middle East for oil, gas or coal,” said Reopelle. “This is an opportunity to invest in our local energy service providers instead of oil and gas companies in other states and countries.”
Legislators supporting the Energy Efficient Schools amendment included Senator Russ Decker (D-Weston), Senator Dave Hanson (D-Green Bay), Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee), Senator Robert Jauch (D-Poplar), Senator Mark Miller (D-Monona), Senator John Lehman (D-Racine), Representative Mark Pocan (D-Madison) and Representative Pedro Colon (D-Milwaukee).
Legislators voting against the Energy Efficient Schools amendment included Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills), Senator Luther Olsen (R-Ripon), Representative Kitty Rhoades (R-Hudson), Representative Dan Meyer (R-Eagle River), Representative Jeff Stone (R-Greenfield), Representative Steve Kestell (R-Elkhart Lake), Representative Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford), and Representative Robin Vos (R-Racine).
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Clean Wisconsin, an environmental advocacy organization founded as Wisconsin’s Environmental Decade, protects Wisconsin’s clean water and air and advocates for clean energy by being an effective voice in the state legislature and by holding elected officials and corporations accountable. Phone: 608-251-7020, Fax: 608-251-1655, Email: info@cleanwisconsin.org, Website: www.cleanwisconsin.org.