Regarding the upcoming town elections, I would like to inform the taxpayers of Ridgeville of some hard financial facts.

Ridgeville current tax levy is $110,000, which makes the average taxpayer, who pays about $2,000, contribute approximately $400 to the running of the township. Through the State Revenue Sharing plan, Ridgeville would receive approximately $2,500 per year for each turbine in the town. That could be as much as $60,000, which is 45% of its budget and would reduce the average tax by $218. Extrapolate this over 20 years and it adds up to a respectful amount.

If ALL the landowners would agree to having a turbine on their land, the financial benefit to EACH taxpayer would nearly equal their entire Ridgeville tax!

Monroe County is in line to receive $3,500 in tax credits for each turbine in the county. That may not be a large amount in the county coffers, but I suggest it may prevent an increase in what each taxpayer contributed to the county, which last year averaged $591. Considering the imagined and unproven drawbacks proposed by the opponents of wind energy, I for one will opt for the promised monetary advantages turbines will provide.

There are associated costs for a completely new Town Board, not to mention the cost of an election. Workshops and computers are two and the township residents should know the wages to the board, clerk and treasurer are some of the lowest in the county. I can only suppose, but I can imagine a new board increasing their wages plus the cost of continuing workshops for new board members.

The day to day running of the township is time consuming, low pay and little appreciation. There haven’t been any major complaints and the past monthly meetings were lonely affairs attended by only the elected members. One issue does not a township run! I would ask the voters of Ridgeville to re-elect the present board of Virgil Sletten, Charles Neumann and Chuck Luxton.

Here is a bizarre scenario: Suppose the “Focus on Monroe” candidates were elected, they vetoed the wind ordinance and then RESIGNED EN MASSE! Ridgeville would be left poor and leaderless!