RENEW contacts Doyle to ask for veto
RENEW hand-delivered the letter below to Governor Doyle almost at the end of business on Friday afternoon, since Doyle may sign the budget bill this weekend.
June 26, 2009
Governor James E. Doyle
115 East, State Capitol
Madison, Wisconsin 53707
Dear Governor Doyle:
RENEW Wisconsin and its members across the state respectfully request a veto of the budget bill provision that would delay the effective date of the sales and use tax exemption for equipment powered by or used in the generation of wind and solar energy and manure digesters from July 1, 2009, until July 1, 2011.
Though the sales tax exemption might seem of little economic importance to a planned installation, the amount could significantly change a project’s economic feasibility, depending on installation size. For instance, the sales tax on a 50 kilowatt wind turbine that costs $250,000 would come to at least $12,500. That would add several years to the project’s payback.
This year Wisconsin businesses and homeowners have planned and bid on renewable energy systems based on system costs that include the sales tax exemption. Some would-be system owners have delayed their installation in anticipation of the sales tax exemption. Repealing this exemption on such short notice will result in project cancellations and delays.
Customer-owned wind and solar systems will contribute toward the renewable energy needed to achieve a 25% target by 2025. Please keep us moving toward the target by vetoing the delayed effective date for the sales tax exemption.
Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully,
Michael Vickerman
Executive Director
RENEW also asked members and renewable energy supporters to ask Doyle to veto the provision by sending his office by sending an e-mail through his Web site — http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/contact.asp?locid=19.
