Lawmaker supports buying "green" with federal tax rebates

BY JOHN DODGE | THE OLYMPIAN • Published March 29, 2008

OLYMPIA - Consumers should spend federal rebates designed to stimulate the slumping economy on energy-efficient and environmentally friendly investments in their homes, U.S. Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash., said today.

Baird spoke at a news conference flanked by local elected officials who echoed his call to turn the $600 to $1,200 checks many families will receive beginning in May into products and projects that will save money on future energy costs.

Baird said he voted against the Bush administration's $106 billion economic stimulus package because it's money borrowed by the federal government that future generations will have to pay back.

"I was frustrated that we'd spend all this money and have nothing to show for it," he said.

So he and about 20 other members of Congress introduced a resolution in February, urging taxpayers to reinvest the money in energy conservation.

The resolution, which is largely symbolic, also calls on retailers to offer promotions and discounts to Americans who choose to invest their money in an eco-friendly way.

Baird conceded his plan won't work for everyone, especially those struggling to pay rent or feed their families.

However, he said, a grassroots investment in clean energy by consumers will save them money, reduce their carbon footprint and send politicians a message that it's time to get serious about reducing the nation's reliance on fossil fuels linked to global warming.

"I think it's a terrific idea," Lacey Mayor Graeme Sackrison said. "I need a new energy-efficient gas furnace in my home - that's where my check is going."

Baird said he's trying to build a coalition of businesses and environmental groups to push the green rebate idea.

"It's a way to turn a short-term economic stimulus into long-term energy savings," Home Depot Olympia store manager Kevin Finger said.

The National Retail Federation estimates that about $43 billion of the rebate money will be spent on retail goods and services.