Maple Ridge tax loss a warning for Cape

I am a year-round resident of Cape Vincent and have attended meetings, researched windmills and their placement and health issues. There are so many issues that can and will affect our community and any other community with windmills on their agenda.

I recently read about Lewis County's loss of income from the Maple Ridge Wind Farm because of the loss of their Empire Zone certification. This is something of great importance to any community that is considering wind farms. When monies come into a community, budgets are set up and the spending begins. Projects are started, and the community depends on the yearly income from the wind farms to meet the demand of new expenses and projects.

Now Lewis County has to make up a loss of income,and that can be made up one way, and one way only, taxpayers. Businesses and homes will have to share the burden of the loss.There is no one else to turn to. Can this happen in other towns with wind farms? You bet it can.

We as a community, with our leaders, need to stand back and take a hard look at the fate of Lewis County. We need to protect the future of our community. We need to protect our investments. We need to do what is right for the entire community of Cape Vincent, not the wind farm companies or their investors, but the people throughout our area who will have to live with health issues, noise, declining property values and the horrible sight of these 450-foot spinning windmills throughout the community.

Add to it the loss of promised and expected income like Lewis County and that spells disaster.

Mariana Reinhart

Cape Vincent