Annova LNG, Despite Setback at PI, Presses Forward with Misleading Mail-Out

Front Side of Annova LNG Mail-Out

Annova LNG ran into a taxpayer-initiated roadblock Tuesday evening when the Point Isabel School Board rejected the multi-billion dollar corporation's request to NOT pay 99% of school taxes over 10 years. Based on Annova's own property value estimates, that request totaled $195,000,000.  That's a lot of desks, school buses and teacher salary.

Back Side of Annova LNG Mail-Out
Notice the "Yes" Has Already Been Checked

Those of us not acquainted with the huge short-term profiteering potential of LNG might assume that the loss of such a large tax break would cause the company to look elsewhere to locate.  Not so. Annova is pressing forward with a postage paid mail-out to secure signatures in support of the project to be forwarded to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Notice the claim on the card that Annova LNG will protect the environment and "could bring hundreds of good-paying jobs" to the community.  There is no mention that their application promises only 10 jobs at $36,000 per year with no guarantee those jobs would be filled by locals.

There is still the matter of the $25,000,000 tax abatement request put before the Cameron County Commissioners Court.  A large contingent of taxpayers opposed to the tax abatement attended last Thursday's County Commissioner meeting with twenty signing up for Public Comment.  The group, primarily South Padre Island and Port Isabel residents were severely disappointed in the icy reception afforded them by interim County Judge Pete Sepulveda who rudely manipulated the agenda to make them wait an additional two hours before commenting.  

"He's just making you cool your heals," I responded, when asked what was going on.  The tax abatement request was tabled for more "study."  Lack of knowledge, however, did not prevent temporary County Judge Sepulveda from writing a support letter for Annova LNG.