July 23, 2008
Illinois

Wind farm windfall?

The proposed wind farms in Woodford County have created controversy and debate for months, but now they have a new supporter.

School districts in Woodford County receive about two-thirds of their funding from property taxes and if wind farms are allowed the districts could collect money for each wind turbine, like they collect money from each property owner.

The value of each one of these turbines is equal to a home worth over $700,000.

Under the current tax levy the districts would get about $12,000 of that in taxes.

Roanoke-Benson school district says the extra money from the wind farms wouldn’t directly impact students as much as it would property tax owners.

“We feel the increase in the tax base won’t go to new programs or anything like that, it is going to be going back into our tax payers pockets and reduce taxes by whatever percent,” said Rohn Peterson, Roanoke-Benson Superintendent.

With as many as 90 wind turbines proposed, the district says if they pass, the wind farms could save property owners 23 percent in taxes each year.

The proposed wind farms still need to be passed by the county board and it would take a couple of years to pass the savings on to property owners.

The Woodford Ccounty Board will meet August 19 to make a final decision on the wind farms.

By Ashley McNamee

WHOI HOI-19

22 July 2008


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/07/23/wind-farm-windfall/