"Do you want to pay twice for your gasoline? Once in taxes and once at the pump?"
I've never been a fan of growing food, harvesting the food, and then making food into gasoline or diesel. However, the bio-diesel idea caught on in Georgia a couple of years ago with huge promises from Sonny Perdue. Perdue more or less promised we could be free of foreign oil if the taxpayers would invest enough money in bio-fuels.
So Perdue put your tax dollars to work.
It didn't work.
There are and there always have been too many 'ifs' in the bio-fuels industry. The biggest 'if' being if the taxpayer invests enough money in privately owned companies.
In the attached story, the "bio-fuel" spokes-people complain about not being able to compete in the market place. Without taxpayer money, the market place and competition will 'drive' bio-fuel prices so high that the companies can't make enough profit.
Perdue has profited from a "one of a kind" tax break himself. He's given huge tax breaks already to bio-fuel companies and plants. Now, the bio-fuel companies are asking for more corporate welfare from the taxpayer.
So I have to ask.
"Do you want to pay twice for your gasoline? Once in taxes and once at the pump?"
Story from the Macon Telegraph.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
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From the story
Ryan, with Alterra, expressed frustration that Georgia lags behind surrounding states in legislation to promote biodiesel use.
She said Gov. Sonny Perdue has offered only "lip service" to the industry. "He has done nothing to help us in this crunch time," she said.
However, Ryan expressed some hope after attending a meeting Thursday at which Rep. Charlice Byrd, R-Woodstock, said she planned to introduce legislation to help the biofuels industry.
Byrd did introduce a bill Friday, which has not yet been assigned a bill number, calling for the creation of a Georgia Innovation Center. The center and its appointed director would supervise a state-backed venture capital fund for startup companies exploiting biotechnology.
"When I attended the Bio International Convention 2007 in Boston, the (Massachusetts) governor committed $1 billion" to life sciences research, Byrd said. "Unless Georgia starts taking some steps, we're in danger of falling off the radar."
Byrd said she also plans to introduce a bill giving tax credits to life science industries.
The Carolinas and Tennessee are regional leaders in offering biodiesel incentives and tax breaks for producing the fuel and installing distribution or retail facilities. Florida and Virginia also offer more than Georgia.
Perdue signed a law last year setting up a Georgia sales tax exemption for materials used to build new biodiesel plants and infrastructure.
"Gov. Perdue believes the best way to support the biodiesel industry in Georgia is to create the most business-friendly environment possible," said Perdue spokesman Marshall Guest. "That includes cutting red tape and allowing these businesses to get up and running as quickly as possible."
But biodiesel experts say other measures are needed. Nationally, Pearson said it's crucial that a tax credit for biodiesel blenders be extended. It's set to expire at the end of 2008.
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