How disappointing that the political ideologies of a few conservative town councilors squelched the Solarize Yarmouth initiative. I am miffed by how a program as innocuous as this could be perceived as anything less than a win-win for residents.

Since when did the role of local government cease to include assisting residents who are attempting to reduce their heating and cooling costs? With essentially no cost to the town or taxpayers who choose not to participate in the program, how could offering alternative energy to residents at an affordable cost be undesirable for Yarmouth? As in other Maine communities, this program would have offered residents access to purchase solar panels for their homes at a lower bulk rate, while also helping to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

Not only did the Town Council reject an attempt to help Yarmouth residents save money on solar panel installation, they also missed the opportunity to establish a progressive vision for other cities and towns to move to reliance on renewable energy. Providing citizens with an affordable option to choose solar energy is just the type of assistance we need to help our communities. How unfortunate that local politics seem to be falling in line with federal policies that limit our access to sound ideas.

Tony Cowles
Yarmouth