Friday, July 06, 2007

Letter to Governor Spitzer by Charles Kota

Dear Gov. Eliot Spitzer,

I have lived in New York State all of my life. I can remember when our economy was superior to what it is today. We have given our industrial manufacturing base away to foreign interests. No longer is this a prosperous and productive state. We are at the bottom of the totem pole.

There used to be a slogan, BUY AMERICAN. This is no longer applicable. It is now, BUY AMERICA, THEY ARE GIVING IT AWAY. We are the highest taxed state in the nation. No wonder our young college grads are leaving here for better jobs and lining conditions. I spend more money on gasoline than I do on food. Why? A Spanish company called Iberdola wants to buy Energy East. Are we stupid or what? Foreigners dictating to us how much we pay for energy and how it is generated! How absurd to have foreigners in control of our energy supplies! What the hell is wrong with this country! It is all about money, corporate greed. Iberdola is going to give the CEO of Energy East 28.5 million dollars. For selling out!

I live in the Finger Lakes region in the town of Cohocton. New York State has invested millions of dollars to promote tourism and wineries in the Finger Lakes region. Now, you want to inundate this beautiful country with wind turbines. You are ruining this great state with this mentality. There is only one Finger Lakes in the world. When it is ruined it is gone. Do you think tourists will come here to see these 500 foot tall monsters? I don't think so.

Wind turbines have been in Europe for the past 20 years. They don't work. Many are obsolete and in-operative. Wind doesn't move by the clock. Turbines use electricity even when they are not operating. Where do you think that comes from? Power plants of course. All the wind farms in existence have not shut down one fossil fuel generating plant. This is GREEN POWER?

You are flushing millions of New York State taxpayer dollars down the toilet. The foreign companies and investors are laughing all the way to the bank. The dumb Americans will buy anything. I am not against renewable energy. But wind power is not the answer. Coal fired generating plants can be made to be clean and efficient. This country has more coal than it can use. Why not use it? Most foreign oil used in this country is for vehicular use, not energy generating plants.

My town government is corrupt and totally incompetent. Everything regarding wind turbines in this town has been done illegally, under the table, through the back door, in secrecy in violation of town laws, rules and regulations. Yet, the Attorney General office does nothing about it. Whatever happened to the government by the people and for the people? We as citizens of this great state are slowly being stripped of our rights.

Property values are declining, property taxes have doubled and electricity bills are out of sight. Is there no end to it? We live on a fixed income and it doesn't go very far today. I voted for you and believed in you. But, I guess it's just politics as usual.

A disgusted New York State taxpayer, Charles Kota

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