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I think we might be forgetting what was attempted with the "renewable energy" portion of the BETC. Oregon has become a leader in GREEN renewable energy and in attracting new businesses to our state. Isn't that what we started the BETC for? Did it get bigger than any of us anticipated, yes it did. Who would have thought we would have a couple of Billion dollars invested in rural Oregon as a result? But we are competing with other states and we are setting the standard! This is good for our state, for the economy, the enviornment and our communities.

One of the two parts of the BETC not being told is well described by the first two comments on this blog. The second piece is the return we will be seeing throughout the state. The first project in Harney County is expected to return a like amount (equal to the BETC) in property taxes during the first 15 years. Additionally NEW income taxes will be coming in from the construction jobs (immediately) from the long term workforce, from the wind energy company and from the landowner lease payments. The return could easily double the state's investment in that time period. 

The return IS there, the benefit to our rural communities is there, the gain to the economy is there and our enviornment benefits through the development of a carbon free energy source. So if we need to put some sideboards on the use of the credit lets do it. If we need to tighten up some rules lets do that but lets not give up the most succesful job creating and investment driving tool this state has today.

   Steve Grasty, Harney County Judge

posted 3 years, 6 months ago
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