Included within the historic infrastructure legislation is $250 million in funding to support state-based programs that finance residential and commercial energy audits, retrofit commercial and residential buildings with energy efficiency updates, and train energy auditors. Another $1.125 billion will go toward increasing energy efficiency in commercial buildings, while $2.5 billion will help support continued energy efficiency improvements in our nation’s schools. Billions more will help support weatherization for low-income households, energy efficiency upgrades at non-profit institutions, conservation efforts in federal facilities, and more.
As both a city councilwoman and someone working in the energy efficiency space, I am glad to see Congress making these key investments—and I am thankful to Senator Portman for working across the aisle to get the job done. Energy efficiency is a critical component of our ever-evolving energy strategy, which will help us continue to reduce emissions, lower energy costs for consumers and businesses, and protect the environment for generations to come.
- Belinda Kenley, Centerville
Governor Mike DeWine’s decision to sign SB 215 has made Ohio citizens less safe. According to research by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio, guns have played an increasing role in gun violence over the last two decades. In 1999 a gun was used in 57% of homicides in Ohio. By 2020 it increased to 82%. Clearly, there is a need for sensible gun legislation and SB 215 is the opposite of that.
What is especially galling is DeWine’s betrayal of the victims of the Oregon District shootings and their families. It is obvious where his loyalties lie and it’s not with the majority of Ohio citizens.
- Beverley K. Gardner, Englewood
Ohio is missing the train! Again. How can we get the state on board with a travel method that 78% of Americans, in a recent RPA survey, indicated that they want? The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides historic funding to fix what we have and expand to new places. New places like between Cleveland and Cincinnati stopping here in the Gem City, which is getting a lot of national attention. But our state is MIA. Tennessee is advancing a bill to study expansion there and Louisiana is currently expanding service to Alabama. If they can do it, why aren’t we? While not in Dayton proper, a good first step is to make sure that the long delayed new station in Oxford gets built and the train that services it, is a daily train. This would be zero cost to the state. Concurrently the state should update previous studies and get moving on the required environmental review for the 3C&D corridor. Again, with little cost to the state. This will allow our economy to grow and people to travel safely and affordably, which is really important in a world of $4.00/gallon gas.
- Jon Shrubsole, Cedarville
I was pleased to read Mary Gutman’s April 8 column, and although I agree with her stance, which I have lived out in my life by adopting six children, and in fostering some seventy infants, I do not support her organizations. I consider them to be pro-birth, not pro-life. I applaud Ms. Gutman for challenging the pro-life movement to start to live up to its name and tackle the issue of capital punishment. However, I would challenge her organizations to think deeper. Is it really possible for people to own a piece of equipment with only one purpose – to kill another human being, and consider themselves pro-life? Is it moral for a society to require women to have children that they are not capable of parenting, when the society itself has no interest in spending the money to take care of those children? Do pro-life legislators understand that their “no new taxes” policies can only continue on the backs of aborted babies? When the pro-life movement starts dealing with the rest of the issues that threaten life, like gun control or the life-long needs of babies once they’re born, then I think they could be relevant.
- Ann Paddock, Dayton