Joe Montes, the head of Americans for Prosperity in New Mexico, had an excellent article on the need for Congress to allow wind tax credits to expire. We totally agree. The Rio Grande Foundation joined more than 100 other organizations around the country in expressing opposition to the ongoing subsidies. If you agree, you can contact Congress here.
Supporters of subsidies for wind will of course counter that fossil fuels are subsidized as well. And we agree that ALL such subsidies should be eliminated. However, when you actually look at which means of generating electricity receive the greatest taxpayer support, check out the following chart:
To say the least, wind is disproportionately subsidized relative to most other electricity sources. And, while Congress is the immediate focal point on this particular wind subsidy, New Mexico’s Renewable Portfolio Standard is another costly mandate. This recent study shows that such regulations result in higher electricity costs…one would think that such policies which directly harm the poor would be a concern for folks on the left, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.
Kudos to Joe Montes for writing the great Op-ed titled “Let Wind Energy Tax Breaks Expire”. I hope many people read it because it points out what many of us have been saying: the citizens of this state and country are being ripped off by wind tax subsidies and the whole Renewable Portfolio Standard requirements forced on us by our NM legislature. We are getting next to nothing for our money. The Renewable Portfolio Standards need to be repealed. Yet we have the Udall cousins proposing a “federal renewable portfolio standard”!!! These people are certifiably insane. But that’s what the POTUS wants, so that’s what the POTUS gets. There is nobody in congress stopping the insanity.