Override Condon’s veto

The Spokane City Council should override Mayor Condon’s veto of the 100 percent renewable electricity ordinance. The veto is neither environmentally nor financially responsible.

Condon’s explanations of his veto never once mentioned climate change. It is as if he does not recognize climate change is happening. This at a time when we all need to do what we can to reduce climate change.

Climate change will make living here more expensive and less attractive. We need to reduce the impacts, not pretend that things will go on as before.

In passing the ordinance, the City Council required proper analyses of the costs associated with proposed actions. The cost estimates the mayor refers to in his explanation of his veto were conjured by opponents of the ordinance. The estimates were not based on evidence. They made fanciful assumptions and claims driven by their opposition to the ordinance. Because the City Council cares about economic impacts, the ordinance specifically calls for economic, fiscal and financial analyses to be done. It is impossible to do a meaningful analysis before the Sustainability Action Committee proposes a specific action.

The environmentally and financially responsible action is for the City Council to override Condon’s ill-advised veto.

Larry S. Luton

Spokane