Resident urges caution on possible TIF to capture wind-farm revenue

Greg Fritz, a River Oaks resident, addressed the board during public comment to raise questions about reports the county is exploring a tax-increment financing (TIF) district related to a proposed wind farm.

"I saw in the news that you're talking about a TIF district to capture the value of the wind farm," Fritz said, and urged supervisors to be mindful of taxpayers because a TIF can take dollars that would otherwise flow to the county general fund and local school districts. He warned that school districts may need to raise levies to offset revenue captured by a TIF and encouraged the board to consider whether the county has nearby economic development projects that could realistically use TIF revenue in that quadrant of the county.

Fritz recommended the county assemble a committee including elected officials and residents — similar to a committee used in another county for a wind project — to identify expected revenue, list candidate capital projects, and plan how any incremental dollars would be spent. He also recounted a neighboring county experience in which landowners and a school district threatened legal action when an adjacent county’s TIF extended across a boundary.

Board members acknowledged Fritz’s concerns and said the county is still exploring options and would weigh multiple perspectives and fiscal impacts before deciding whether to proceed with a TIF.

Next steps: No formal action was taken during the meeting. The board and staff indicated they are in an exploratory phase and suggested further study and stakeholder engagement before any formal recommendation on the TIF.