Mining bill on access would save landowners nearly $900,000

[hue]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/mining-bill-on-access-would-save-landowners-nearly-900000-b9997525z1-223698501.html

The owners of land that could become the site of a massive iron ore mine could avoid paying the state nearly $900,000 if legislators pass a bill that would allow the mine's developers to restrict public access to the property.

In an email to legislative staff members, the state Department of Natural Resources has estimated that it would cost $891,871 in taxes and penalties for the owners to withdraw from the state's managed forest program, giving them the ability to keep the public off the land.

Instead, a bill that could come before the state Senate on Tuesday — and was specifically written for the mining company — would allow the owners to pay far less and still impose heavy limits on public access.

In its email on Thursday, the DNR said the tax treatment under the legislation calls for an annual property tax bill of $7,604 for the 3,520 acres. A similar memo spelling out the details also was sent to legislators by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau the same day.

Sen. Robert Jauch (D-Poplar), a critic of the bill and the $1.5 billion mine, said the measure gives Gogebic Taconite the best of both worlds — a highly favorable property tax bill and the ability to keep the public off its land.

"It creates exclusive control over what has been considered land for public access," Jauch wrote fellow senators in a letter on Friday.

[madrchsod]

1. isn't there a lot of tourist cabins and such up there?

it`s seems that the state will be losing a lot more money if the tourists stop coming.

i guess it`s another big hole that will be eventually filled up during the next ice age.

[hue]

2. Once it is strip-mined, the waters are poisoned, the wild life diminished or gone=no more tourists..

[mojowork_n]

3. There's a fundraiser tonight in Madison, Sept 15th, to help the folks up north

Location, time:

http://www.wnpj.org/node/8389

Sun. Sept. 15th 7:30 pm First Unitarian Society (900 Univ. Bay Drive) Bad River Legal Defense Fund Fall Fundraiser – hosted by Madison Action for Mining Alternatives (MAMA)! Speakers including Prof. Al Gedicks, documentary videos, kids activities, live music from Thistle and the Thorns – plus Emcee, Patty Loew! For more info, check out the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/154051431463363/

[riversedge]

5. Great to see this.

[Scuba]

4. The rape of Wisconsin continues unabated.