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March 12, 2019Jefferson City, MO |  By: John Coffey

Wind Farm Tax bill has moved to the State Senate for debate

A Missouri House bill designed to keep wind farm tax revenue in the counties they are located has made its way out of the House and has moved on to the State Senate for debate. House Bill Two-Twenty is sponsored by 1st District State Representative Allen Andrews, a republican from Grant City. Andrews says the bill is needed to ensure rural counties benefit from wind farms.

"Right now what the state statute reads is that if a public utility purchases a wind farm that tax revenue is sent throughout that public utilities grid taking it away from our local area.   So just as an example, there is a new development coming on in Atchison County that's going to be taken over by Ameren, which is a big public utility.  At this point, Ameren does not have any footprint in Atchison County so they stand to lose literally millions of dollars in tax revenue if this doesn't go through."

Andrews credits the work of several area County Assessors, including Nodaway County Assessor Rex Wallace, in drawing up specifics of the bill.

"He was instrumental in helping get this done.  Rex was crossing his t's and dotting his i's and was making sure all the information was accurate all the way through committees and to the floor.  I'm sure that people that were involved in this, even over in Atchison County - Susette Taylor, Kirk Livengood, Monica Bailey.  All those folks need to be commended." 

Missouri House Bill Two-Twenty passed out of the house by a vote of 151 to 1.