Fletcher Blanchard’s recent piece, “Abandon thoughts of Pilgrim resurrection,” overlooks a major shift in both state and federal policy. More importantly, it ignores a proven path to permanent tax relief for our residents.
Mr. Blanchard suggests that those of us supporting nuclear energy lack “adequate knowledge.” On the contrary, it is time we stop following the “political science” that stalled our energy independence for decades.
When the Obama Administration and Senator Harry Reid killed the Yucca Mountain waste project, they weren’t following the physics of energy or safety data. They were following the “political science” of optics and re-election. For years, that specific leadership made a national solution impossible. It is ironic to use a problem created by a past political era to block the clean energy solutions of the future—solutions that the current administration is now actively supporting.
If the citizens of Plymouth want real property tax relief, we should look at the City of Peabody. For decades, Peabody kept a 0% increase on the 2 1/2 % tax burden for residents by shifting the cost to a strong corporate and industrial base.
Nuclear energy is the only path that offers this kind of change for Plymouth. This isn’t just about electricity; it is about:
- Direct Tax Relief: Shifting the financial burden away from homeowners and onto high-value utility companies.
- Fixing the Budget: Adding tens of millions of dollars to a town budget that is currently depleted.
Even in the “Bluest of Blue” states, governors have reversed their anti-nuclear policies within the last month. They realize you cannot run a modern economy on “political science” alone. They are finally following the actual science, which shows that a stable, carbon-free power grid is impossible without nuclear power.
Relying only on sun and wind—while ignoring the reliability and tax revenue of modern nuclear—is a recipe for energy instability and local financial decline. Nobody is suggesting we flip a switch today. We are advocating for a dialogue before Plymouth is left behind again. We owe it to the taxpayers to have a fact-based conversation about nuclear power before this chance for historic fiscal relief passes us by.
– Al DiNardo
DiNardo is a Town Meeting Member from Precinct 17