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Proposal To Eliminate Tax Credits For Wind Turbines In Dickinson County Fails

April 08, 2025 Steve Schwaller

(Spirit Lake)– A proposed ordinance that would have revoked tax credits for wind turbines and other similar projects in Dickinson county went down to defeat at today’s (Tues.) Board of Supervisors meeting. Mike Fergen of Spirit Lake was among those advocating the proposal, saying it would help ease the burden on property tax payers…

“When you give substantial tax credits whether it be at the local level, through property taxes at the state level, through certain government groups, the Department of Agriculture, whatever it might be, or the federal level, that money just shifts to the deficit, the state budget or the local property tax person.”

Supervisor Levi Markwardt also spoke in favor of eliminating the tax credit program, which has been in place some 19 years…

“To say that 19 years ago you could foresee the growth and the progress this county has made would be impossible. I just think now that we’ve honored the original agreement moving to a standard taxation method to catch up with what we’ve got going on here in Dickinson county in 2025 and forward I think makes a lot of sense.”

Supervisor Chairman Bill Leupold expressed his concern over doing away with the credits, saying it could discourage future economic development which would also have a negative impact on property tax payers…

“So anything we can do to boost economic development, and especially with these wind turbines, would help our rural citizens. And so I personally can’t vote for this.”

The proposed ordinance to do away with the credits failed with Markwardt and fellow Supervisor Steve Dullard voting in favor and supervisors Kim Wermersen and Bill Leupold voting no. Supervisor Steve Clark abstained siting a potential conflict of interest.

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