Plan allows property owners to pay for photovoltaic cells through property taxes
4/13/2009 - 4/8/09
"A bill that makes buying solar panels more affordable is now state law, but the sales job isn't over — the Santa Fe lawmaker who authored it now has to help make it work, county by county.
State Rep. Brian Egolf's bill will allow property owners to pay for rooftop photovoltaic panels and installation by taking on increases in their annual property taxes. Implementing the program will be up to the county treasurers and others who handle property taxes on the local level.
New Mexico's larger counties — Bernalillo, Santa Fe, Sandoval and Doña Ana — are likely to be early participants, said Paul Gutierrez, executive director of the New Mexico Association of Counties, which supported the bill in the recent legislative session. In the rural areas, he said, "I think it's going to be a tough sell, where they may not have the personnel and the wherewithal to do it."
To get around that, Gutierrez said he has been working with Egolf on creating a "template" so counties can be ready when the law takes effect July 1. Egolf has also talked with Santa Fe County commissioners.
"I think what we need to demonstrate to them and to the county treasurer is that this is something that will be easy to do in terms of running the program," Egolf said. "And it can be done just like it's been done elsewhere — with great simplicity."
Egolf's bill was modeled after a program used throughout California. It also was one of several solar-related bills that became law, but the solar industry gave it the most focus partly because it could get up and running faster. " More>>>>
State Rep. Brian Egolf's bill will allow property owners to pay for rooftop photovoltaic panels and installation by taking on increases in their annual property taxes. Implementing the program will be up to the county treasurers and others who handle property taxes on the local level.
New Mexico's larger counties — Bernalillo, Santa Fe, Sandoval and Doña Ana — are likely to be early participants, said Paul Gutierrez, executive director of the New Mexico Association of Counties, which supported the bill in the recent legislative session. In the rural areas, he said, "I think it's going to be a tough sell, where they may not have the personnel and the wherewithal to do it."
To get around that, Gutierrez said he has been working with Egolf on creating a "template" so counties can be ready when the law takes effect July 1. Egolf has also talked with Santa Fe County commissioners.
"I think what we need to demonstrate to them and to the county treasurer is that this is something that will be easy to do in terms of running the program," Egolf said. "And it can be done just like it's been done elsewhere — with great simplicity."
Egolf's bill was modeled after a program used throughout California. It also was one of several solar-related bills that became law, but the solar industry gave it the most focus partly because it could get up and running faster. " More>>>>
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