The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is still sitting on a handful of oil companies’ requests for tax refunds on new pollution control equipment —
“„“Dear Governor Perry, Please choose children over Big Oil,” said posters signed by tax-break opponents.
“„Demonstrators also chanted in the lobby in front of Perry’s locked campaign office. The entrance to the building itself also was locked, but a protester said an exiting man allowed many to enter the lobby.
“„Allison Castle, a spokeswoman in Perry’s state office, said, “Gov. Perry expects TCEQ (the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) will consider all of the facts and make the appropriate decision.”She said the constitutional provision allowing the break was approved by lawmakers and voters under the administration of the late Gov. Ann Richards.
“„“It’s true that we’re required to have this equipment,” Day said. “We’re required by the EPA under their Tier 2 regulations, which call for basically the removal of sulfur from gasoline and diesel. Otherwise we never would have installed this equipment. It cost us tens of millions of dollars to put in.”
“„Day added the estimates that communities could lose tens of millions of dollars are exaggerated. And he said what Valero is trying to do is what you’d expect any company to do: not leave money on the table.
“„“It’s pretty much the same as any other property owner getting a homestead exemption, or a senior citizens exemption or an ag exemption,” Day said. “This is a process that’s allowed under state law, and we’re using the process that’s called for.”