[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written by a Reader. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The B-Town Blog nor its staff:]

Hello Friends,

My name is Robert Richmond and I would like to start a discussion around the idea of turning the city of Burien into a power utility. We currently use Seattle City Light and Puget Sound Energy.

With a little time and effort, we can take waste of all types and incinerate it to produce electricity, natural gas, and jet fuel, thereby ending recycling. We can set up contracts with our neighboring cities and sell them power generated from waste. With our profits, we will work within a model like that of the state of Alaska with their oil profits. We will have profit sharing available for those citizens who own a home or business. If you rent, you will see savings in the form of free waste pick-up and lower power bills. Many of us get hit hard when the storms come over the hills causing power outages for what seems like days on end. We should and can have our own local crews restoring our power. It would be much faster than what we have now.

This technology is available here in Washington state. It’s similar technology as to what they have in Sweden. This new technology will have a capture rate of approximately 97%. We will end recycling!

With the profits, we will budget for more police officers, support Mary’s Place Women’s Center, and finally address the homeless situation. With time, patience, and jobs, will win these battles! This has always been a three-part solution: government, private sector, and non-profits. All will need to participate in order to make this successful.

We already have willing and able partners, my question for discussion is – do we want to lower taxes to next to zero, put money into our pockets, make profits for the city, create jobs, and end recycling?

I look forward to a spirited discussion and getting results for our city.

– Robert L. Richmond III

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Since 2007, The B-Town Blog is Burien’s multiple award-winning hyperlocal news/events website dedicated to independent journalism.