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Knowledge, Fortitude, and Understanding

I encourage your readers to join me in supporting an independent voice on Nov. 7: Owen Charles for the Board of Finance. I know Owen and his family and feel confident in his knowledge, fortitude, and understanding of the issues facing our town.

He supports investing in things that are in the public interest and that have a high return on investment for the people of Madison financially and socially, including investing in sustainable energy, as we have started to do with the recommendations of the town energy committee—and can do much more.

Importantly, he’s in favor of smart investment in Green Energy, and has pledged to support consideration of the recommendations of the town energy committee. Because many investments in sustainable energy technology may have a significant long-term return on investment, he advocates taking a long-term view.

The town energy committee’s recommendations for solar and geothermal energy and conservation design to enhance our energy efficiency and self-sufficiency may represent a short-term investment, but long-term savings. He’d leverage the very informed and professional energy committee recommendations and be sure folks are aware of them, for example on the designs for the library construction and potential use of geothermal energy. I admire and respect this approach and trust Owen to follow through with his stated goals.

Two decades in corporate budget management have taught him to recognize when an expenditure is (or isn’t) justified by return on investment. Saving money over the long term by investing in sustainable energy represents an important one of these areas.

We need leadership on the Board of Finance with this sort of vision—toward the future. His platform and additional specifics are laid out on his website shorelinegreenparty.com/owen_charles_2017.html. I encourage your readers to vote for Owen Charles on the Green Party line.

Lucinda Pinchot

Madison