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Sarasota has a kindred spirit with the city of Gainesville. Maybe it’s the feel of the warmth of the western sun when it begins its daily decent over our beautiful coast. The last few minutes of brilliance cast a glow on our land that no one else gets to see unless you are here. We are stewards of this land; charged with the responsibility to protect and maintain its entire splendor. Mayor Hanrahan, Gainesville Fl, is someone who is a pure example of just that; a steward leading her city with the knowledge that it can be done.

I had the pleasure of spending some time with Mayor Hanrahan in Tallahassee this week. She accompanied me and Commissioner Kelly Kirschner on our visit to speak on the importance of a strong Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) this legislative session. Rounding out our group was two others who are passionate about the environment, Attorneys Steve Urse and Deb Swim.

Mayor Hanrahan understands more than anyone else what a strong renewable energy program can mean to a city. Already exceeding their goals for their Feed-in Tariff program, she was proud to tell Steve Adams, Deputy Executive Director & Director of Policy – Florida Energy and Climate Commission, of Gainesville’s accomplishments. She pointed out the amount of businesses already making efforts to relocate to Gainesville and how many jobs her program is creating for the people of Gainesville.

I actually sat with envy watching her. She exuded confidence as she reinforced the need to stay ahead of the curve in the renewable energy industry. Without hesitating, she laid out the plans of her city as if it was a process that had been in place for centuries. Her knowledge of what it will take to make Florida a self-reliant leader in the fight against climate change is something to be noted. Already preparing to attend a conference on Feed-In Tariffs in Germany, she will be the only speaker to represent the United States.

I had to take a moment and wonder what gives her this confidence, this feeling of empowerment. I realized that Gainesville has an incredible edge over most of the state. Not only are the people of Gainesville armed with a municipal utility company that gives Gainesville the opportunity to decide for itself how they will get their energy, but the people of Gainesville have decided for themselves to take the issue into their own hands. They are not waiting for our government to set the standard for us to follow. They are doing it for themselves and leaving our government behind in the dust.

Finishing our day with Florida Senators and Representatives, our group left without the knowledge of having any energy bill passed this legislative session. The thought that Florida could miss out on this opportunity to bring jobs and a strong economy back into the lives of its citizens was much more than anyone of us wanted to think about. If Florida does not pass an RPS by the end of the session, there is a reality that the Federal Government will. That will mean that our renewable energy could be provided by another state. The jobs that we so desperately need will not come here.

Tomorrow marks the end of the legislative session. Mayor Hanrahan knows that through her hard work, Gainesville will be okay. I wish I could be so confident about the rest of the state. This is your last time to tell you representatives that you expect them to follow the example of Mayor Hanrahan and become a leader for all of us. Tell them to pass a strong Renewable Energy legislation.

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