Supporting the development and purchase of flexible-fuel plug-in hybrid vehicles.

WHEREAS, The over-reliance of America on foreign oil has become a growing and serious threat to the economic vitality and national security interests of the United States; and

WHEREAS, Automobile emissions are a major contributing factor to global warming and to smog in our cities, which threaten the health of our citizens and the sustainability of our planet; and

WHEREAS, The imbalance between gasoline resources and worldwide demand is escalating gasoline prices at an alarming rate and to levels that overburden commerce, hurt economic growth and cause serious hardship on our citizens; and

WHEREAS, The technology exists today to build a flexible-fuel plug-in hybrid electric automobile which would reduce oil imports, fuel costs to our citizens and our economy and air emissions by dramatic margins; and

WHEREAS, On November 1, 2005, pursuant to Resolution 050837, the Legislative Oversight Committee conducted a public hearing on whether the Office of Fleet Management’s vehicle purchasing policies should require a preference for the purchase of alternative fuel or hybrid-electric vehicles; and

WHEREAS, On January 24, 2006, the Plug-in Partners National Campaign, will be announced in Washington, D.C., to encourage the public and private sectors to promote the development and use of flexible-fuel plug-in hybrid vehicles; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Makes a commitment to support local, state and federal policies to promote flexible-fuel plug-in hybrid vehicles; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Council of the City of Philadelphia urges the Mayor to work with the government, education, business and environmental communities to advocate the development and purchase of flexible-fuel plug-in hybrid vehicles.

End