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Legislators have no right to refuse revenue

The obstructionist county lawmakers have spoken. Legislators George Borrello, Bob Scudder, Chuck Nazarro and Ron Lemon voted to refuse rents in the amount of $60,000 from a logistics support group associated with a multi-million dollar construction project in the county. There were 15 positive votes cast.

At least one of the negative legislators cites his disdain of subsidies as the reason for his obstructionist inclinations. Borrello was quoted in this paper (April 28): “I have a problem with this from a philosophical stand-point … if these turbines were not subsidized, they wouldn’t be spending $15,000.” This is the per month offer for four months. This person desires to be the next county executive!

His logic makes one wonder if he would have been more agreeable if a lower rent had been offered. Especially confusing is his pride of a grant Silver Creek received in the 1980s, according to Vicki Westling’s April 26 column. Grants are generally a free hand out as opposed to the nature of subsidies. His pride is probably justified.

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 passed the bipartisan House 381-37, the Senate 93-3 and was signed into law by George H. W. Bush. Production tax credits encouraging the development of green energy have expired and been renewed several times since. The production tax credits for wind energy are hardly the first or only subsidy our government has approved.

The government has always provided subsidies — grants, tax incentives, lax regulation — for the public good. Think: roads, schools, post office, banks, home ownership, hospitals, rail roads, air travel, agriculture, drug and immunization research, fossil fuels, corn ethanol fuels, renewable energy, space travel, satellites, etc. Practically everything at some point in time.

Promising new technologies are often promoted by subsidization until the powers of free enterprise and capitalism enable them to stand on their own and price themselves competitively for the public good.

As this particular multimillion dollar project, the Arkwright Summit Wind Farm, has been discussed, voted on and approved over a period of many years. Obstructionist endeavors are actually illegal, from a philosophical standpoint. Attempts to hinder an act of Congress’ implementation is not acceptable behavior for lesser politicians down the governmental food chain.

Citizens and legislators must follow the laws, not pick and choose which ones they want to observe. When politicians perceive their role to be not law creators, but policy obstructionists, then it is time to vote in new ones.

James Wilmoth is a Fredonia resident.

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