Thousands still without power in Dallas-Fort Worth

Thousands of Dallas-Fort Worth residents remained without power this morning, a day after cold weather caused rain to freeze on tree limbs and power lines.

Wind Watch: Examine green credits

Even if you believe that Oregon should go more green, it’s hard to argue that there is not something askew with handing out subsidies to profitable companies that don’t need them.

Three cases in point:

•Enterprise Rent-A-Car got $100,000 in tax credits to buy hybrid cars, though a spokesman said the company was already going to do it anyway.

•Zipcar, the company that allows people to share the use of cars, got $1.7 million in Oregon tax credits. It offers its same service in 10 other states, none of which give such tax credits.

•Klondike Windfarms wants millions in tax breaks even though building wind farms in Eastern Oregon has already proven to be a lucrative economic model.

Legislators should look closely at the state’s green energy tax credits before they leap ahead with Kulongoski’s plans to expand it.