County expedites Gamesa wind farm proposal
Gamesa Energy asked Young County to expedite its proposal to put a wind farm in the county, with a representative saying getting a tax abatement in place quickly could greatly benefit the school districts.
Colin Kelly with Gamesa told commissioners the Texas Legislature was considering a bill that would cap the amount of revenue school districts can get due to wind farms. If the bill was passed and signed into law, it would go into effect Sept. 1. Kelly explained that any agreement in place before Sept. 1 would fall under the old rules without a cap.
"The reinvestment zone is important to the school districts," Kelly said. "Both school districts are in favor of moving forward with this. Settling this will allow them to move forward."
Kelly asked commissioners to set a public hearing to create a tax reinvestment zone. Once the zone is created, a tax abatement agreement can be reached.
"If we set this June 8, we can get a tax reinvestment zone and let the school districts move forward before Sept. 1," Kelly said.
Commissioners voted 4-0 to set the public hearing with County Judge Stan Peavy III absent.
Commissioners also voted unanimously to hire Jay Cantrell as their legal counsel in the process. Cantrell said he would charge $150 an hour and would ask Gamesa to replace it. Cantrell said an agreement with Gamesa should be an easy job.
"Basically as I understand it, you're proposing the same financial deal you had with BP," Cantrell said. "So I think it should move along quickly."
Cantrell said he was also watching the Legislature with his attention focused on a bill that would affirm counties have the right to offer abatements for wind farms. He said the bill passed the state senate on Monday and could be made law quickly.
"The house bill that passed the senate is the same one that passed the house, so it is enacted," Cantrell said. "It passed with 24 hours to spare."
The bill would also ratify all previous abatement agreements reached in Texas.
Precinct 2 Commissioner John C. Bullock said all the commissioners were watching the Legislature.
"I think the folks down in the Legislature are pulling a filibuster and are delaying some very important bills," Bullock said. "Tonight (Tuesday) at midnight is the deadline."