‘A New Age’ of Energy Saving

Your editorial (“Energy: A New Age,” Aug. 10) regarding the need for action in the area of energy conservation calls for some comment.

Your proposals to force builders to incorporate energy conservation gimmicks in their new construction sounds like yet another well-intentioned attempt to provide for the common good. To your credit, you do recognize the disruptions to be expected but your proposed solutions sound awful.

You propose tax incentives to cushion the builder from the economic adversity brought upon him by your laws, and low-interest loans for the home buyer so that he may be able to afford to buy. Both of these proposals will exacerbate the most pressing economic problems that we face today.

The tax benefits will reduce tax revenues collected from the builders and the low-interest loans will undermine the solvency of the financial sector. The net effect on the deficit and the need for a government bailout of the savings and loan industry should make us pause for thought.

We should ask ourselves if the mechanism of the market is truly inadequate to guide the home builders and home buyers in their economic decisions. Are we sure that they are doing such a poor job of planning? Our free markets have done quite well in the past as they diverted us from the perils of running out of leather, wood, whale oil, and rubber.

Perhaps our Public Utilities Commission planners and your editors will be surprised at how well industry will provide for our energy needs and how well the public will respond to change.

EMILE M. MULLICK

Sylmar