Our overabundance of government has a lot to do with the town of Arkwright missing out - for now - on some development.
During the Town Board meeting this month, officials learned Horizon Wind Energy will not be focusing its immediate efforts in New York state. Instead, the company will go elsewhere - where the burden of building and zoning is nowhere near as great as in this county and state.
"The economy and the power market in New York is not as attractive as it is in the Midwest and that is where Horizon is committing its turbines," said Tom Stebbins, project manager for the Arkwright Summit Wind Project.
In New York state, numerous bureaucratic agencies have been involved in this project. From the Town Board to Chautauqua County to the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency and the New York State Quality Review Act, too many entities are looking to take credit - and make sure all the proper paperwork is completed - for this project to happen.
"I think (wind energy companies are) finding that doing business in New York state is the closest thing to hell outside of (doing business in) California," Arkwright town Supervisor Frederic Norton told a wind energy publication last week.
So much government intervention will only delay the process - taking longer and creating more hassles for those looking to bring business and energy alternatives to our region. But such is life for businesses in New York state.
You think the taxes and fees are bad on business? Sometimes you have to go through 20 hoops before you can even build it or open it.
