Tax discounts for windmills pass first test in Linn County

The Linn County Supervisors approved the first reading of an ordinance to give windmills that produce electricity a property tax discount.

A public hearing is set for Nov. 4. The ordinance would make windmills tax exempt for one year, and then taxed at a discounted rate for at least 20 years.

Several Iowa counties already have an ordinance that gives tax discounts to windmill generators. The Linn County ordinance will be based on one used in Story, Floyd and Carroll counties.

The ordinance would encourage residents to "reduce their carbon footprint," Supervisor Brent Oleson said.

"This is a personal way to do that, on a personal level," Oleson said. "A farmer can operate with a renewable energy source."

The state already offers a tax credit of 1.5 cents for each kilowatt-hour the windmill produces. The credit can be applied toward the state's personal income tax, business tax, financial institutions tax, or sales and use tax.

Three windmill permits are under review by the Linn County department of planning and development.