At the urging of environmentalists and immigrant advocates, the Minneapolis City Council is considering an ordinance that would funnel more money to home and property owners who work towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
A proposed ordinance to increase franchise fees, which are a percentage of gas and electric bills that goes to the city, was introduced Oct. 9. The proposal would steer proceeds from those increased fees to programs that help property owners finance improvements to boost energy efficiency and decrease emissions.
The increase would raise energy costs by about $10 a year for the average household, according to Council Member Katie Cashman, who authored the ordinance…