Wind farm tax boost projected at $1.2M

Property taxes from the Palouse Wind project will generate $1.2 million for Whitman County’s operating fund over the next 20 years, Assessor Joe Reynolds said Monday.

“This is a key piece of consideration as it relates to how we are going to finance our capital projects,” said Administrative Director Gary Petrovich.

That figure is important to the $57 million 2012 budget because commissioners are planning to delay several capital improvements and pay for them with bonds that would be covered the additional tax revenue from the wind farm.

Initial projections from county officials predicted $1.6...