There was some noteworthy commentary from last weeks’ “Electric Services in an Annexed Area” interim 4 1/2 hour committee hearing that is worth a listen.
First up, Democrat State Senator Susan Wismer notes she has her hackles up and claims that communities have figured out how to do economic development without involving municipal government decisions:
Apparently she lives in one of those communities that’s just an open field where municipal governments don’t do things such as roads or sewer, or building permits.
Next up, Republican State Senator Lee Schoenbeck has some more than choice words about the people wanting to revisit the current arrangements on power territories, and a new tax being proposed in a piece of legislation before the body:
And finally, more deep thoughts from State Senator Susan Wismer as she directly follows up to Senator Schoenbeck’s points, and expresses that she’s upset that Madison serves a cornfield, and Brookings having a municipal utility should affect Aberdeen. And Madison is serving corn fields:
With logic like Wismer’s, why do I not think this issue is going away?
Schoenbeck could give that speech every time a progressive tries to get another inch toward socialism. It is theft preceded by coveting.
If you follow America’s municipalities movement into mostly nice flat fertile farm ground; which developers love BTW, you will find hundreds of millions of acres of previous farms and ranches turned into urban housing. That might slow down or increase depending upon Urban Renewal successes. Regardless the taxes upon that urban sprawl will never ever be enough to cover the cost of the government’s growth because of it with or without electricity production rights.