County commissioners could take a first step Monday toward granting a tax abatement to wind power giant Duke Energy. Commissioners will vote on creating a reinvestment zone to determine the boundaries of where the abatement would take affect. Gary Vest, Odessa Chamber of Commerce economic development director, said this step will have to be taken before an official abatement agreement is considered. Duke is asking for a 10-year, 100 percent property tax abatement - to begin in 2010 - for phase 1B of the Notrees Windpower Project, which would place 11 wind turbines on a strip of land on the westernmost edge of Ector County. Vest said it's about $27 million worth of capital investment. The majority of the proposed reinvestment zone stretches into Winkler County, where Duke has already placed 65 turbines, Vest said. Commissioners will consider approving Ector County's portion of the zone.______(Odessa newspaper/Christine Stanley copy)_______
This is a "free pass" on 10 years of property tax by Ector County to get this Windfarm online. Abatements are good starters but existing businesses must pay higher taxes if county in question needs new revenue. Businesses should get a lower tax rate period but these ex-democrat republicans elected by voters are not educated on "business-paying-taxes" means "higher prices" for consumers.
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