Carolyn Jones, Chronicle Staff Writer
SFGate, Friday, October 26, 2007 (Click here for article)

Regardless of what you think about Berkeley and/or global warming, I think everyone has to agree that this is a brilliant move by Berkeley in so many ways.

In essence, Berkeley will pay for homeowners to install solar panels (from selected vendors...they better be the best and be giving bulk rate prices!) and then put a 20-year assessment on the home. The assessment would be less than or equal to the utility savings. The city could charge less than market rate interest by securing low-interest bonds and loans.

This plan will:
- reduce imports of middle eastern oil.
- reduce pollution.
- stop our money from going to dictators in Venezuela, Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc.
- create good paying jobs.
- increase the pace of development in solar technology.
- increase home values and more!

The only thing I would add is that this is something that with a little more coordination the results could be even more tremendous...but it is a start.

CAR, NAR and all Realtors should get behind this and see if they can get their municipalities, localities, etc (if appropriate for your areas) to do the same. Imagine if the entire state of California did this. Or the entire nation? How much money could we save, pollution we could reduce and jobs and technology we could create!!

If I was a presidential candidate (on either side of the aisle) I would make Berkeley my next stop and make their plan on this issue a part of my campaign.

We need another JFK "Man to the moon" speech at Rice University in 1962 and Berkeley is showing the way.