Government from federal to state out of control..

[huskerfan2000]

http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-na-sej-wyoming-wind-tax-snap-story.html

 

 

 

Who owns the wind? We do, Wyoming says, and it's taxing those who use it

Not long after it became clear that the robust winds that blow down from the Rocky Mountains and across the sea of sagebrush here could produce plenty of profit in a world that wants more renewable energy, some of the more expansive minds in the Wyoming Legislature began entertaining a lofty question:

Who owns all of that wind?

They concluded, quickly and conveniently, that Wyoming did.

Then, with great efficiency for a conservative state not traditionally tilted toward burdening the energy industry, they did something no other state has done, before or since: They taxed it.

 

 

Taxation without representation.

[ZRod]

Right. Corporations are people now. Forgot about that one... also seems like they have some representation...

Miller and his colleagues have begun an assertive effort to sway local governments and the states business community against a higher tax. They have drafted reports showing how much tax revenue their project will generate nearly $1 billion over 20 years under current law. Several groups have lined up behind them.

 

Ray Peterson, a contractor who hopes his rig company will get work with the new wind project, wrote to the revenue committee this month to oppose any move to raise taxes further.

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In an interview, the Republican governor said state law prevents him from threatening vetoes, but he suggested he was wary of raising taxes on wind.

 

 

Seems to me the state has been too slow in adapting to a changing world, and is scrambling to find it's way, or fight back. It doesn't seem unfair that they should impose some kind of service tax if the energy is being exported out of their community but their community is housing the capital to produce that energy. Obviously as the governor said, they need to be cautious and not shoot themselves in the foot.

Godby said the real issue Wyoming faces is much broader than how much to tax the wind. For too long, he said, the state has relied too heavily on revenue from fossil fuels. It needs to diversify and, even more daunting, to reconsider its tax code. The state has no income tax and still allows some industries to avoid sales tax.

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Wyoming is a boom-and-bust state, but its not really because of energy prices, said Sid Fox, the county planning director. Its because of our tax policy. If the state can figure that out, that might be the shining light out of this.