Tipton development: A study of contrasts
Kokomo Tribune | May 21, 2013 | kokomotribune.com
These are exciting times for Tipton County, with Chrysler coming to the county and bringing more than 800 legitimate jobs.
These jobs will invite families to move to Tipton County and call this community their home. It will likely increase demand for homes and land in our county, thus improving property values, which have suffered in recent years with our nation’s economic struggles.
Furthermore, the additions of Casey’s and Tractor Supply Co. to the area of the Ind. 19 and Ind. 28 intersection have breathed new life into a previously decaying yet central part of the city.
With the trends over the past several decades of stagnant or slightly declining growth in Tipton County’s population, the work of our city and county officials to bring these respectable companies to our community is commendable and something for which all Tipton citizens can be proud.
In stark contrast to the legitimacy of the economic development accomplishments stated above is the invasive and ongoing push for wind farms in Tipton and surrounding counties in spite of large public opposition. This is the most outrageous abuse of government power I have seen at the local level in my lifetime.
Wind farms benefit a few at the expense of the vast majority of this county. Our federal tax dollars are being thrown away to unregulated and unaccountable wind energy companies that make a business out of dividing communities by placing these in residential areas.
Bringing wind energy companies to our county is no accomplishment. To boast of this is equivalent to being flattered by any prowling, desperate salesman. It is like a naïve yet beautiful young lady flattered by the enticing words of a hormonal, adolescent young man with no moral discretion. That young boy will take whatever he can get; there is nothing special about his proposal.
Such are the proposals of juwi and E.ON. These wind energy companies are nothing more than modern day carpetbaggers subsidized by our overspending federal government to stay in business. I don’t hesitate to use such strong language, because I have witnessed closely the unethical, misleading and divisive tactics of these companies and select county officials in trying to push these wind farms through.
It is time for our county officials to listen to the majority voice of the people. It is time for our county officials to listen to the public who elected them rather than the friends or family members set to gain financially by pushing these through.
“The County” is not an abstract entity commissioned to make decisions based on the desires of a few elected officials. The essence of “The County” is and should always be the majority voice of “We the people.” And we the people don’t want wind farms. We do want legitimate economic development that invites families to call Tipton County home.
Nathan D. Salsbery
Tipton
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/05/21/tipton-development-a-study-of-contrasts/