Oxford Residents Vote No on Tax Agreement with CPV Towantic Power Plant

Now that’s a statement. More than 500 Oxford residents packed at the High School Thursday night and they said no thank you to a proposed revised tax agreement between the town and the operators of the CPV Towantic Power Plant.

This doesn’t mean that the controversial power plant won’t be built, it’s already been approved, but it does raise a lot of questions.

If residents approved the tax deal with CPV Towantic it would have meant the town would have received $112 million in taxes over a 22-year-period of time instead of $53 million the plant owners had originally agreed to pay.

First Selectman George R. Temple told Fox CT after the meeting that the no vote simply means less tax money for the town, while some residents are hoping the town can secure a higher tax payment, and many others hope the no vote will somehow lead to the plant not being constructed.

After the meeting residents posted on their Stop Towantic Power Facebook page,

“The people of Oxford have delivered their message loud and clear: They want CPV and the power plant out of their town and they can NOT be bought!

In their first and ONLY opportunity to publicly address their feelings on this power plant Oxford has overwhelmingly voted NO to all 3 proposals regarding the power plant. They have turned down a $100,000,000+ offer in exchange for the health and welfare of their families and loved ones.

We all admire your courage for speaking your minds. You have taken the first and most vital step and now this vote will send a ripple effect through the communities and their state and local legislative bodies who have been closely watching this unfold.

Things are changing.

We will Stop Towantic Power”