Turbine project would provide many benefits for Yates and Somerset

Editor:

As a taxpaying resident of the Town of Yates, I am embarrassed that Yates Town Councilman speaks and writes in the way that he does. This continued poor behavior is not suitable for an elected official, and it is also not appropriate for him to sign letters as “Councilman, Town of Yates” when he acknowledges that he is writing about “my personal view.” His opinions and views are not the same as all town residents.

Yes, Apex Clean Energy has given out free hot dogs at local youth events, donated for the Lyndonville fireworks, given food and money to local food pantries and toy drives so that our less fortunate can have Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners and toys for children on Christmas morning. There are other examples of Apex helping out in the community, help and support that would not exist without them.

Not everyone in our towns of Somerset and Yates are as privileged as the lake people. I ask the question, “what has SOS done for our communities?” Many of these lakefront owners want their assessments lowered because of erosion (lower assessments means lower taxes) but at the last Somerset Town Board Meeting when told their taxes were going to go up 113 percent, they said that if it kept the turbines out so they didn’t have to look at them, that would be OK. You cannot have it both ways, SOS, and thank you for showing the real truth that you don’t want to look at them!

I am not a landowner with a signed lease, but would if I could. I have not been paid a penny by anyone, and I resent Riggi insinuating that only supporters of Lighthouse Wind are those “you (Apex) are paying to like you.” I have spent the last two years researching and finding out the truth about clean, green energy, including solar, wind and hydro. I have a large solar installation on my home, and I want to be a part of bettering the earth for my children and grandchildren.

But over and above that, there are many benefits of this project: lower taxes, better schools and roads, higher real estate values because of lower taxes, and a way to attract other businesses to come to our towns.

In my opinion – “It’s not Apex, but the privileged and snooty ones that think they are better than the rest of us, and they don’t care about us!”

Yours truly,

Howard Pierce

Lyndonville