Support candidates in Barre who don’t have financial incentive from wind turbine project

Editor:

The United States of America is the finest country in the history of the world. We have our flaws, but freedom and democracy still remain the hallmark of our society. Our election system, complete with all of its flaws, is still the best way to select leaders for our towns, villages and for our country.

When an issue arises, such as the 700 to 800-foot-high wind turbine project slated to be built in the Town of Barre, it is very important to make sure the people who would financially benefit the most from this project are not the people in charge of decision-making.

Electing someone to the Barre Town Board who has a lease related to the turbine project makes no sense for the people, businesses and future of our town. The will of the people, all of the people, should decide if this project moves forward and when, not just a small percentage with a significant monetary gain.

I have lived and conducted my small business in the Town of Barre since 1985. Over the past few years, I have been approached by two people who will greatly benefit from this project. Both times it was said to me, “You are in business in this town, and you better know what side of this you should be on.”

In my opinion, re-electing Kerri Richardson to the Barre Town Board and completely changing the landscape by electing Scott Burnside as supervisor will remove any chance of a conflict of interest when making the decisions for all of us in our town, not just a few.

Please only vote for one Town Board member, which is like two votes for Kerri Richardson, whom I whole heartedly support in this election.

When you cast your vote on November 7th, remember the “Future for Barre” party really means a better financial future for the people with wind turbine leases, not the rest of us!

These projects never work out the way you have been led to believe. The town torn up for years, the project not taxed anywhere its real value, and the tax benefit you were promised somehow was never what you thought.

The result will be completely changing the Town of Barre, New York forever. Please think hard before you vote.

All my best,

Jim Salmon

Barre