California utilities get one-third of their power from renewable sources and, by state law, have to raise that figure to 60 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2045. Solar does nourish California’s insatiable hunger for renewable energy, however. “It’s a concern for the long-term health of counties.” Fifteeen years later, solar is doing very well, thank you very much,” said Paul Smith, vice president for government affairs at Rural County Representatives of California. In other words, the properties are taxed as if they’re still being used for agriculture. They are dismayed about a tax break, bestowed years ago by the Legislature, that lets project owners avoid paying property taxes on the hundreds of millions of dollars worth of solar panels they’ve installed on their facilities. Local government officials also say solar doesn’t pay its way as a tax generator. “We have 900,000 people who live in Kern County who need jobs and services and quality of life.” In Kern County, where thousands of acres of land have been converted to solar, farmland that’s been taken out of production “doesn’t pay for libraries,” said Lorelei Oviatt, the county’s planning and natural resources director. The scarcity of permanent employees is a drag on the economy. The day-to-day work is performed remotely, out of Southern California. Now, however, the site is a job-free zone, except for the occasional maintenance employee who arrives to make repairs.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
December 2022
Categories |