Dear Editor,
Recent articles and letters in the paper about the proposed Vortex Power project have convinced me that several important questions have not been answered.
The country is full of examples where someone dreams up some scheme to fleece the taxpayers. This usually involves getting a lot of money out of the government by using a combination of direct tax credits, government loans, and accelerated depreciation.
Immediately after the project is built (and sometimes before) the promoters vote themselves huge multi million dollar bonuses. They, in their mind, deserve them because none of us dumb western flavored hillbilly hicks had enough brains to dream up their project. Then there is no money to pay for the operation of the project. Look at all the windmill projects all over the country that are non operational, and no money available to tear them down.
Long term obligations then fall on us dumb hillbilly hicks. For decades or longer.
We are all looking for spring. I have a sense that on this project it is about time for Lincoln County?s cadre of highly paid, slick, and well dressed consultants to come out of their snake holes to work their bureaucratic bullshit magic with government agencies far and wide, all for an exorbitant price tag and huge expense accounts. Now I suppose that we don?t want to give the wrong impression and have someone represent Lincoln County that actually wants to save money for our local taxpayers.
One of the councilmen stated that the promoter?s legal problems had nothing to do with the city. On the face of it, that seems incredibly dumb. Did he have a traffic ticket, was he indicted for some type of fraud? It sure as hell does matter.
Most, if not all the politicians, want more and better jobs for the citizens. While that is admirable, and needed in this county, it seems they are forgetting the most important thing. FOLLOW THE MONEY! This needs to be done with projections for several years and some type of contract where promoters and consultants can not take taxpayer money to enrich themselves.
FOLLOW THE MONEY!
Owen Hill