I am glad to see that we are moving forward with Mr. Fullers wind project, this will provide nice energy for the grid, construction work, maintenance jobs, wildlife habibat for deer and is just right to help the town.
The question that should be put before the voters is a simple one - Should a TIF be created for Mr. Fuller and the Town of Clifton. My answer would be YES as fast as we can approve a TIF, get it done.
If a TIF is not created the COUNTY will tax us more, the SCHOOL will get much more with no increase in students, our share of the school budget would be the highest. Heck maybe we could build our own school?
With a TIF, the town's valuation is removed so that it shelters a town from its school and county assessments, while protecting the town's percentage of state revenue sharing.
Pretty much, it's a tax shelter. Mr. Fuller is making an investment of capital into your community, you're giving them somewhat of a tax break.
If it was fully taxable, residents would pay more in school assessment, and more in county taxes, and it would reduce our revenue sharing, which means whatever we got for taxes from the wind project would be off set by the loss in sending more dollars to the county and school - worst with our high evaluation rates.
Oakfield Maine - created a wonderful TIF with First Wind and that should be used as a model with Mr. Fuller. In no way should the town be greedy, but clearly this would be a win win for both the town and Mr. Fuller.
There are several items to consider in the TIF; a direct payment to the town for use on roads and maintenance (we need capital improvements bad)(this could be $200-500,000 a year); college tuition payments for all high school students; direct payments to each resident household (would suggest starting with a formula like Oakfield, it could be an amount equal to a persons tax bill). The town should immediately take Mr. Fuller up on his offer to allow the town to place a turbine for its own use - then the town should apply for a USDA grant to install the turbine and the income from use should go directly back to the residents in the form of a dividend.
I would like to talk about college tuition for a moment, several towns in Maine provide funding to each student attending an approved college or university. Education is the key to our survival and think about the return. A child will never forget the help they would get in attending college and return to town that helped raise him or her knowing the value of a small town. If memory serves me correctly the little town of The Forks provides $2,000 to each student attending college. Think what this would do for our work force! Say we provided $2,000 a year to any student, regardless of age attending college, say to a limit of six years. The quality of life of our residents would improve, not to mention their income - it is a fact that income is directly related to college education - we always want more for our children. I don't care it is for auto body work, small engine repair, meat cutting, nursing or to be a doctor any enhanced education is great.
