Austin is one of the nation's leaders when it comes to environmental policy. While Texas' state government has one of the worst environmental records in the country and the federal agencies continuing to drag their feet, progressive cities like Austin have to take a stand when it comes to environmental responsibility.

A common misconception is that policy mandated environmental standards will adversely affect the local economy. I contend that in the long term environmental standards foster innovation and encourage the development of new industries. Austin, a forward-thinking city with a strong technology skill base, is uniquely positioned to become a worldwide center for emerging green industries. As councilman, I will work to attract these industries to Austin and make this city a showplace of environmentally sustainable technology.

With a modern city-owned utility provider, the city council has the ability to improve consumer incentives for increasing the energy efficiency of homes and businesses.  I will improve and extend Austin Energy's rebate and customer incentive plans for improving the energy efficiency of their homes and businesses. The programs by Austin Energy that provide rebates and incentives to low-income residents and families make me proud to live in Austin. Subsidized or free high efficiency toilets, thermostats and insulation not only improve energy efficiency, they improve the quality of life. These rebates are especially important for low income citizens, where high utility bills can be a serious problem. However, these programs do not go far enough. We need to increase the range of eligible earnings and reduce the sweat equity required to obtain these benefits. Through a combination of financial incentives and technological consulting, the city can create motivation for small to large companies to install green energy equipment (such as solar panels) and to promote sustainable building practices. I will improve programs to highlight green building successes at businesses and in homes to foster a city-wide culture of environmental awareness.

An issue discussed by city leaders for years is the use of plug-in electric vehicles. I signed a petition to create plug-in electric infrastructure nearly 3 years ago. To this date there has been no progress. If we are going to lead the nation in environmental policy, clean transportation solutions are a necessity. We need to create incentives for driving electric vehicles and the means to recharge those vehicles in the downtown core. I propose that we install special parking meters downtown that include electric outlets for people to plug in their cars. These spots would be reserved for electric vehicles exclusively and would impose no time limitation on usage between the hours of 6 am to 6 pm. Commuters will have an incentive to purchase an electric car and drivers, the community and the environment will reap the benefits.