California IN BRIEF : SACRAMENTO : Senator Withdraws Tax Break Bill

A controversial bill to grant a $6.4-million property tax break to Luz International, a company planning to build four large-scale solar energy plants in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, was sent back to the Legislature by Gov. Pete Wilson for reworking. A Wilson spokesman said the governor “had some concerns” with the legislation as written and requested the author to take it back for “possible amendments and changes. Sen. Becky Morgan (R-Los Altos Hills) agreed to withdraw the bill. Former Gov. George Deukmejian vetoed a similar measure last year, calling it bad tax policy. Luz International already operates nine solar energy units in the desert between Barstow and Boron. The company contended that without the tax break the four new units could not be built. Morgan argued that development of solar energy should be encouraged as an alternative to fossil fuels.