The public had nothing to say on a 10-year tax abatement for a planned $145 million investment in wind turbines in Jay County.

So the Jay County Council approved that tax break with no dissenting votes.

Council members held a brief public hearing regarding the tax abatement request from NextEra Energy Resources, which plans to construct a 70-turbine wind farm in southern Jay and northern Randolph counties.

Pike, Madison and Jefferson townships in Jay County will be the site of 49 of the turbines, with a total investment of about $145 million.

Although members of the public nearly filled the Commissioners’ Room in the Jay County Courthouse, no one spoke regarding the abatement request.

NextEra business development director Anthony Pedroni made a brief presentation, noting that a study by financial firm H.J. Umbaugh and Associates showed that tax rates would decrease as a result of the wind farm project.

The abatement, which phases in taxes by 10 percent each year over the 10-year span, would save NextEra an estimated $4.5 million in taxes.

The company would pay about $4.7 million in taxes over that period.

Estimated tax revenue over the 30-year lifespan of the wind farm would total more than $20 million.

The abatement request was forwarded to the Jay County Tax Abatement Advisory Committee at last month’s meeting.

Jay County Auditor Nancy Culy and commissioner Milo Milo Jr., who both sit on the committee, said this week that the board did not meet to discuss the request, but a phone poll was conducted to get the opinions of the committee members.
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