April 29, 2017
Letters, Michigan

Reader: Vote no on Tuesday

Huron Daily Tribune | April 28, 2017 | www.michigansthumb.com

When will it end? In doing some checking, I found my property tax has almost doubled in 10 years. We all know the national debt has doubled in eight years. When my license for the car came, the cost had gone from $120 to $193. Has your income kept up with this kind of increase? I know mine has not.

I realize everything is getting more expensive, but when the government is involved, it seems to go faster. President Reagan said, “Government is not the solution to our problems. Government is the problem.”

Energy Independence Michigan paid for a flyer that came to my mail box which read, “wind powers Huron County’s economy without raising taxes today.” So why did mine go up? When I asked at a board of review why taxes weren’t going down, I was told, “Valuations had to go up to keep getting wind money.”

I’m sure it is taxpayer money that is being used to build the turbines. They aren’t playing Santa when they say they are contributing to our schools, roads, libraries, etc. It’s already our money, and they stand to profit big time, unless you vote no on May 2.

Huron County and my township has good roads because the people have voted the millage when needed. The same with out schools. So did we need turbines for that reason? An Amish friend told me, “there is a difference between want and need.” When you have to look for places to spend money for things you never had before, is it a want or a need? Does a salary increase to the bureaucrats make them better? Has education? When will it end? Don’t let the devil steal your soul. Money isn’t everything. Vote no.

I’m not being a sore head because I don’t have a turbine. I don’t want one. Under the threat of eminent domain, I was forced to take the big transmission line. Because of the placement of the substation, I was forced to take two lines rather than one. Because of politics, the company wouldn’t place the poles where we would have preferred them to be, and as a result, we now have poles and a tower that is next to impossible to work around. We have compacted soil that will probably take 10 years to ever produce again. Broken tiles that have never been paid for. Top soil from the field was pushed into the ditch to make them a culvert to enter the field. The contract states the land will be restored to its original condition – but it hasn’t.

The special election on May 2 is very unfair. Only five townships, Siegel, Sherman, Bloomfield, Dwight and Lincoln are being told by 11 county-zoned townships whether or they should have to put up more turbines and not have a say as to any of the restrictions. Whatever happened to “Do onto others as you would have them do unto you?” Please help us vote no.

We already can see turbines and flashing lights from here to Bay City. What will it look like if we put up more?

Has anyone ever been told what will happen when the turbines die? Will the money still be there, or will they just become eye sores? Don’t believe everything you hear from the wind energy company. Lots of us have learned the hard way – vote no.

President Kennedy said, “ask not what the country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.” What are we leaving our grandchildren and great-grandchildren and future generations other than a big debt? Don’t let greed for money do this to them.

The commissioners acted too fast. Wanting the money without thought to the problems that might be created. Flicker, noise, and health problems for people and animals should have been studied.

Vote no on May 2.

Donald Schuman

Bad Axe


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2017/04/29/reader-vote-no-on-tuesday/