Wind power can support school funding ~ letter

Wind power can support school funding

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2012
This is in response to the commentary co-authored by Assemblywoman Addie Russell that appeared in the Albany Times-Union on Dec. 17 entitled “Keep Equality in Education.”

Assemblywoman Russell correctly points out that the massive state school aid cuts are especially harming the state’s economically disadvantaged communities, such as ours, more so than wealthier communities throughout the state. The result is undeniably impacting the already strained budgets of our schools with no relief in sight from the government. It is up to each community to come up with ways to fill the permanent school funding gap created by Albany and Washington by promoting economic development in a sustainable and responsible manner. We can’t continue to rely on already strained households in our region to provide this funding.

Our community needs Assemblywoman Russell along with Sen. Patty Ritchie to actively support this kind of development and, as luck would have it, an opportunity to do so exists in Cape Vincent. The proposed wind power developments would bring millions of much-needed dollars to our local economy each year for 20 years, and a good portion of those millions will go to our schools’ budgets. This is an excellent opportunity for renewing economic activity in the region. These elected officials have done an excellent job identifying education funding as a critical issue to our communities, and they now need to listen to solutions to this issue.

Wind farms are peacefully operating in many communities, just like ours, throughout New York and have proven to be saviors for those communities. In fact, the students living in districts with operating wind farms are the biggest beneficiaries. I request Assemblywoman Russell to take the time to research the benefits of wind power in New York in a truly objective way and help us get the benefits of wind power for our community. She has identified a problem. Now let’s find ways to solve it together.


I am prepared to support actions that help her address the problem of education funding, and I would like Assemblywoman Russell to support an actual and real solution to that problem. Wind power continues to be a good thing in New York and can be a good thing for the people residing in Cape Vincent. Assemblywoman Russell, please take the time to learn the whole story.

Beth White

Cape Vincent