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4A Daily News – Tuesday, May 15, 2012 Opinion DAILYNEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer's home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 What's watt in Tehama County Despite the claims of some that solar, wind and other renewable energy sources are a waste of ratepayer and taxpayer money there is ample evidence that a growing number of local citizens, private busi- nesses, public bodies, and utilities realize that these are vital technolo- gies to supply our energy needs and protect our planet. We are blessed in Tehama County to have sufficient solar and wind resources to satisfy the entirety of our ener- gy needs if we will mar- shal our financial resources effectively and place a premium upon the value of secure, locally produced, and environmen- tally benign energy sources. It will take some time to make the necessary conversions, particu- larly when it comes to transporta- tion, but compelling evidence is mounting that such a path will inevitably be necessary if humans are to continue to populate this planet. While additional sources of oil and natural gas in the U.S. and Canada have been found and are being tapped today, the increasing demand for these same fuels inter- nationally by developing economies in Asia, South Ameri- ca, and Africa will keep prices high Richard Mazzucchi Positive Point for the foreseeable future. Of added con- cern is the fact that these new sources of tight oil, shale oil, tar-sand oil, arctic-oil, and deep sea oil are not only more expensive to acquire but also present a higher likelihood of catastro- phe, exact a greater toll on the surrounding envi- ronments, and generally require more energy and resources to acquire than before. of Time featuring "The Truth About Oil" by Bryan Walsh. Instead I will tell you about some tangible actions being taken in our area to expedite the transition to a clean energy future once I dispel the concerns that such actions are a waste of ratepayer and taxpayer subsidy dollars. First, ask how does a nation place value on unspoiled air, water and land? Sec- ond, ask how does a nation place value on the health, safety, and security of its citizens? The answer is by enacting laws and providing incentives to stimulate the develop- ment and implementation of tech- nologies and practices that protect said values. In many cases this Rather than attempt to summarize the sci- ence in this short col- umn, I refer the reader to the April 9, 2012 edition could be accomplished simply by removing existing subsidies to con- ventional dirty technologies how- ever this is unlikely with well heeled lobbyists entrenched by cor- porate interests controlling the levers of commerce as they do today. This summer the first of seven proposed small commercial solar projects in Tehama County should be underway. has submitted applications with Tehama County to place photo- voltaic panel arrays on properties from 2 acres to 7 acres in size at various locations in the county. When completed the seven pro- jects would generate up to 2.75 megawatts of electricity. Since the average household requires approximately 900 kilowatt-hours per month, and the equivalent full sun hours per day in our area is 5, just these panels will produce suffi- cient energy for over 450 homes. Of course since energy will be needed when the sun doesn't shine, and the supply and demands vary from minute to minute, a distribu- tion network and other sources of supply or batteries are required. But with our emerging "smart- grid," pumped storage and hydro- electric facilities, wind power, and occasional natural gas back-up our carbon-footprint can be almost entirely erased with systems such as these. Pristine Sun LLC Because three of the proposed projects are on Williamson Act land, Pristine Sun had to submit plans showing how the use would be compatible with agricultural use to keep qualifying property in agri- cultural use so that the property under contract is taxed at a lower rate than it would be under other uses. Consequently, Pristine pro- posed raising the height of the solar panels so sheep could graze under- neath and seeding the area around the panels with "bee-friendly" grasses, to make the area better for grazing and beekeeping. Sun currently has plans to build on 18 sites in Tehama County with their solar arrays hooking directly into Pacific Gas and Electric Com- pany power lines. Pristine project proposed by Solar Power Inc. will build a 19.86-megawatt facility off Reading Road just south of Red Bluff. Another solar tribute to our energy mix we wean ourselves from toxic, greenhouse gas emitting, and environmentally damaging sources of energy sup- ply. As each of these projects con- Richard Mazzucchi is a retired research engineer specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy. He has travelled extensively and now makes his home in Los Molinos, where he is striving to manifest a sustainable and spiritual lifestyle and operate a BBQ equipment. He can be reached at living-green@att.net. Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3070 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2595 Cean- othus Ave., Ste. 182, Chico, CA 95973; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Economic recovery, abundance or demise In case you missed last week's deadline to reserve a seat, seats or a table at the Republican Red, White and Blue banquet, you can still pick up the phone and call 529-1226 or 567-2323; tickets will not be sold at the door and are even now subject to availability. Patriots meeting, 6 PM at the West- side Grange, will be 3 candidates for the District 1 Congressional seat: Doug LaMalfa, Gregory Cheadle and Michael Dacquisto. They will each address the Tea Party Patriots and take questions. I was fortunate to hear the presi- dent of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), Arthur C. Brooks, talk on the radio about his new book, "The Road to Freedom," intended to complement the semi- nal work by Austrian economist and philosopher Friedrich Hayek, "The Road to Serfdom." Hayek "warned of the danger of tyranny that inevitably results from govern- ment control of economic decision- making through central planning, and argued that the abandonment of individualism, classical liberalism, and freedom inevitably leads to socialist or fascist oppression and tyranny and the serfdom of the indi- vidual." (Wikipedia) Appearing at tonight's Tea Party quasi-tyrannical federal tax and regulatory status quo, or begin to restore the vision of our founders and Framers of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. Their vision placed the freedom and happiness of the individual American at the core of all law and philosophy, which vision has sadly been eroded by liberals and pro- gressives of both political parties. The leftist, socialist model has inexorably smothered the individ- ual-based model, almost without our seeing the extent of tyranny and despotism as it happens, much as people in a crowded room are unaware of the stuffiness and diminishing oxygen about to suffo- cate them. "The Road to Freedom" will be in my vacation-reading stack, and I recommend it for your edification and enlightenment before November. Brooks' "The Road to Free- dom" lays out the political, legal, cultural and economic measures necessary to reverse trends, policies and laws that have, over the last century, effectively neutralized the power and freedom of the individ- ual and the branches of government closest to the individual. It is very relevant to the elections facing us, which will potentially cement the It is primarily our economic freedom – retaining as much of the monetary fruits of our labor, while providing to governments only that which is legitimately and lawfully authorized by the various constitu- tions – that determines our happi- ness and wealth. We now face, as a nation, such financial ruin through wanton, profligate spending that coming generations of Americans are truly in jeopardy of such depri- vation and misery as has never been visited upon America, even in the depths of the Great Depression. It is the inevitable, predictable result of debt, deficits and borrowing beyond the ability of future genera- tions to ever pay off, and beyond the willingness of any other nation or people to continue to finance. Mr. Brooks and the AEI have evaluated every example of mas- sive financial debt in modern times, and have quantified the success or failure of vari- ous tax and/or spending responses by different nations, including the United States. Their research can be summa- rized as follows: Coun- tries that balanced their budgets with a mix of tax increases and spending cuts successfully reduced their debt only in relation to the reliance on cutting spending. The more they relied on raising taxes, the less likely they were to reduce their debt. Countries that reduced spending and cut taxes invariably paid down their debts and achieved economic abundance. It's not rocket science to under- stand why. Government spending is, by definition, a burden on the economy, to be blunt about it. That is why its allowed functions are limited by constitutions. The lighter the burden, up to a certain point (enforcing laws and contracts for a level economic playing field), the easier it is for individuals and busi- nesses to thrive and grow the eco- nomic base upon which taxes are paid. European nations. Don Polson The way I see it Governments at all levels in America consume over one-third of our entire economic output. We are already at or above the levels of government found in, for instance, Spain or France, and are effectively strangling our own economic out- put as has already happened in such after the government seizes the income of the first group. America grew its economic way out of the debts of WWII. In the 1980s federal revenues almost dou- bled from Reagan's growing econ- omy; Congressional Democrats tripled spending and deficits result- ed. With a Republican Congress holding spending in check, Clinton ultimately presided over surpluses. The Bush tax cuts grew the econo- my, lowered unemployment, raised tax revenue, and produced lowered deficits – only $160 billion in 2006. Democrats came to town, immedi- ately created a $460 billion deficit and the rest is debt history. According the IRS, the total tax- able income earned by Americans breaks down like this: The total income of all Americans who earn over $75,000 is about $4 trillion. Tak- ing every dollar they earn wouldn't sustain the federal budget for one year, including the deficit, leaving nothing for any state or local government, and leaving nothing for the next year because no one will work for nothing. The total taxable income of those earning less than $75,000 is a little over $1.3 trillion and most of them will have no jobs Don Polson has called Red Bluff home since 1988. He can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com.