Pipkin: Offshore wind is a tax on Marylanders
Sunday's column criticized Gov. Martin O'Malley's proposal to build a grandiose set of offshore wind generators. Eastern Shore Republican delegate E.J. Pipkin, who has long been vocal on Maryland energy issues, says offshore wind is a multibillion-dollar "tax" on Marylanders. (It's not really a tax, but it would act like one.)
In an interview with MarylandReporter.com, Pipkin says, "Only a very narrow group of developers are going to be able to get the real benefits from this." The projects "is extremely costly to consumers," he says, "an aggressive project of 120-plus windmills off the coast of Ocean City.... It's hard to get away from that."
People argue about the ultimate cost, Pipkin says, but whatever the number "it's still multibillion dollars in additional tax."
Comments
Perhaps calling it a tax is a bit much.
A better name for it would be "massive reverse welfare payment" since we'll be moving large amounts of money (it total) from the lower and middle classes to the few developers who are in on the deal.
Posted by: John J. Walters | March 28, 2011 11:12 AM
I wrote this up into a blog post for the Maryland Public Policy Institute as well, if anyone is interested:
http://www.mdpolicy.org/policyblog/detail/reverse-welfare
Posted by: John J. Walters | March 29, 2011 11:13 AM
Expensive.
Ineffective.
Unnecessary.
Oo! It's green! The idea is to save the earth from CO2 warming when there is no such thing. [Scream at me if you wish, but global warming is a scam and the aruments for it are laced with lies.]
Reducing dependence on deminishing resources is a good goal, but the means has to be effective to make a difference. Wind energy has not been effective.
Posted by: mesns | March 29, 2011 12:46 PM
Martin O'Malley is a bird killer.
Great headline and the truth is windmills kill birds.
http://dailycaller.com/2011/03/29/bird-group-calls-for-end-to-wind-energy-due-to-threats-to-species/
Posted by: Dan | March 29, 2011 2:37 PM