This Bill Should Become Law [Copy 2]

Thank you for this debate, I hope that I can provide suggestions to you in accomplishing your task and in the End will be able to present a more reasonable offering to your government. I would also like to say that I am not a government agent, or a lawyer, or any other type of agency that would reject, or approve this bill. I'm not even a Michigan voter. For things like formatting and legal issues, I hope that you have some other alternative for addressing these contentions. After first reading this, I came up with the following reasons why this bill should not Pass.I do not think this bill should pass as it stands. Although I appreciate the need to address alternative energy in some way that encourages it's uses. The involvement of the Government in this manner has proved to be detrimental.First of all, this bill is most definitely a subsidies bill. I am against subsidies in all forms including cases like this one where the outcome would apply to a proposed improvement.Secondly, 50% is too much for a subsidy. Especially considering the current costs of alternative energy. This bill as it stands would require the government (state, or otherwise) to pay the bill for these projects. It would force taxes to rise in some other area to cover the costs.This bill doesn't cover anything concerning efficiency. I could buy a million dollar piece of machinery that puts out as much energy as a watch battery and have half the cost taken off my taxes without actually creating any energy alternative. Or I could equally place a small expensive form of alternative energy, let's say a solar panel, on an other wise unused section of real property that is connected to a shed but does nothing and is never used. The bill mentions a confirmation process, but does nothing to either institute a verification department or govern the actions of such a department. This bill does not address whether or not this is an individual tax, or a business tax. Since both are taxed differently, there needs to be some distinction as to who get the subsidy where, when, and how on the tax forms. This bill would also need some direction concerning a change in the tax forms and assign responsibility for administering those forms. Individual Section Contention (if not previously stated)Section 1: Purpose of the bill - no contention.Section 2: Definition of property tax - if this is the legal definition in your state, no contention.Section 3: Definition of Real Property - if this is the legal definition of real property in your state, no contention.Section 4: Definition of Personal Property- if this is the legal definition of personal property in your state, no contention.Section 5: I think this should be reworded to renewable energy, or energy that is derived form stated sources that originates on the property. Chemical energies that produce harmful by-products should be eliminated as a possible means for alternative energy.Section 6: Definition of Alternative Energy Machinery - This definition of machinery does not eliminate battery powered equipment. and does not include the necessary clause for the origination of the energy. Section 7: As I mentioned earlier, a definitive use of the structure should be named. "ANY structure" is too vague. And could include a street lamp, or other non-inhabitable, or non electricity using object. "Any form of alternative energy machinery" is also too vague as a I mentioned concerning Section 6. Perhaps the phrase "qualifiable equipment" should be used.Let me take a little break right here. If I owned a cow, and I used the manure as fuel for my fire place, would it would qualify as an alternative energy method according to this bill? Section 8: This section is the greatest point of contention as to why I would not pass this bill and why Michigan should not pass this bill. The subsidy, could be more than the cost of the property tax. I see that you make special recognition of this fact, but there are no limitations as to how much of the property tax can be waived per year. According to this plan, it looks as though the entire tax can be waived indefinitely if the cost of the machinery is high enough. The government would never be able to pay for all the machinery and the price of the machinery would go up because demand would go up. Michigan isn't exactly in a great financial state as it is, could the state really afford to pay for this?Section 9: Enforced by local or regional governments. I'm not a lawyer, and the state of Michigan may have different laws than I am accustomed to, however, the originating body of government should be the enforcer of the bill. If there are no means to enforce this bill, it is unreasonable. This section also claims that the government should confirm the price of the machinery, but it really should create an agency that confirms the qualifications of the machinery, and provides a method of documenting the confirmation so that it may be applied, and recognized by the taxing agency. I don't know how many sections that you would have to break that into. Section 10: The specific governing body should be defined as to which agencies are forced to provide which portion of the subsidies and under what conditions. I'm sure that Michigan already has laws defining the nature of Property Tax payment. This law would need to apply directly to the agency controlling the real property taxes. The wording also implies that the enforcement of the law, if any, is totally dependant on the local and regional government. Section 11: Statement of institution of the bill - no contention. Areas that I would like to see improved I think it would be unfair of me to just make claims about why this bill should not pass without offering some solution ideas that you may apply or reject as you wish. Include a percentage restriction to the amount of property tax that can be waived per year, let's say 20% or less of the amount owed. Restrict this bill from applying to all forms of alternative energy and apply it only to named sources. Provide restrictions on the origination of the energy. Name qualifiable uses of the energy, let's say that 30% or more of a property's energy used must come from this resource as long as the property meets a certain minimum energy requirement need. Name qualifiable equipment, let's say savings of the energy used must be 1/4 of the cost of the equipment. If I buy a wind turbine, that costs $1000, it would have to save me from paying $250 worth of conventional electricity over a period of 5 years or less. Hmm. My numbers are too high. :( There should also be some environmental restriction to the machinery itself. Noise produced by the machinery, how much of the land in question can be allotted to the machinery and how much of the land must used for other qualifying purposes. What are the qualifying uses of the land that would allow for a government subsidy to justifiable?Open the machinery statements to include multiple machines, or processes meeting the qualifications.Restrict the machines from producing harmful by-products.Create and fund an inspecting agency.Force the taxing agency to recognize the inspecting agency and their authority.The originating body of government where this bill is passed should hold complete jurisdiction over its implementation.Limit the time period for the law to be in effect, 10 years or less and allow for an extension or a termination of the law. Good Luck.It seems as though you will be presenting this bill to a group of your peers who may or may not be as willing to give you the feedback needed to create a feasible bill. I hope that I have been helpful to you in creating a workable product. I apologize for any perceived dissension towards you in my response. I can appreciate your work in creating this bill, and I sincerely hope that you do well in your formal presentation.