She’s baaaaack! An Astroturf alliance has sprouted up, calling for a public vote on Austin Energy’s proposed renewables-reliant energy plan. And the group, Austinites for Action, is being managed by none other than Carole Keeton Strayhorn. An e-mail announcing the “nonpartisan” group and sent to the Chronicle listed Strayhorn as a contact, and a WhoIs.net search on the group’s under-construction website named only her (at press time on Wednesday, the full site materialized; see www.austinitesforaction.org). Meanwhile, the actual e-mail heralding AFA’s arrival came from Roger B. Borgelt of the Potts & Reilly law firm. Just why the mayor of Granite Shoals, Texas – firm principal Frank M. Reilly – wants a say in Austin’s energy policies is beyond this author, but it’s worth noting that Borgelt is currently the vice chair of the Republican Party of Travis County – “nonpartisan,” eh? Changes to AE’s energy generation mix, part of the city’s Climate Protection Plan, would lessen reliance on coal and ramp up renewable fuels by 2020. AFA claims the switch will increase residential rates by more than 50%, and the overall plan will “have a dramatic impact on all ratepayers in Austin.” While conceding the energy plan will result in cost increases, recently retired AE General Manager Roger Duncan has characterized the switch from fossil fuels to renewables as both environmentally and economically sustainable in the long run.
This article appears in April 9 • 2010.