After reading this mornings paper and reading an online article about Economic Development we are in a race with other communities.
The candidates in Londonderry's council race spoke about it and were surprised it didn't get more discussion. Seems like it is and will be in the forefront of Londonderry issues.
In Hudson, the news was about a mall that would match the largest mall in the United States in Minneapolis. It also includes office space and over 200 55+ homes all near the Pelham town line ( Pelham is concerned about traffic impacts)
Raymond is looking at doing a major project at exit 4 off of Rte 101 and looks like major retailers.
In Derry, we must be prepared to compete and best be prepared to put away the negativity and start working with each other to move forward in this town.
Its very disheartening to see that the Derry Taxpayers Assoc is against exit 4A and what this project means for our future. Not only does it take traffic off of our downtown area, it will also open up some industrial land.
We need to get focus on our downtown area. We are looking at doing a charette to help identify what we want to see and how to bring business and re-development to it. This is a good start. We need to establish a main st type group again and get vested business owners involved again.
TIF district needs to get going and bringing in Super Walmart is just the beginning in that stretch of Manchester St and Ashleigh Dr. Walmart acting as an anchor should attract some other big name retailers in as well.
The DEDC has said they are very close to selling the last and largest Ash st lots. with that being done-Derry will be given its last installment $465K from the original agreement. It will then have 4 new industrial buildings paying taxes. By the way, for the TIF detractors, this TIF was scheduled to be done within 11-12years and it actually got done in 4-5yrs.
This is much better than seeing the over 200+ homes that was proposed for this site!
We now must get very serious in bringing water & sewer to Rte 28 from the flea market south to the Windham line. The sooner the better so that we can attract more business here. This has been in the Master Plan and CIP for some time and the blue prints are there- the town must act sooner vs later.
With 93 being widened very soon and with that more people looking to move to NH- it is imperative that we be pro-active in bringing businesses to Derry and if we keep bickering about the little stuff and our eyes are off the prize then it will get scooped up by Londonderry, Hudson or Raymond.
We have only one chance here folks as we get closer to build out of Derry. The choice is ours and yours- Do you want more residential and higher taxes or bring in businesses and try to get tax relief?
Some want the town to go back to that little sleepy town Derry once was but reality tells us we can't fool ourselves- We can't afford to stand still and wait to see what happens.
Positive, pro-active action is what is called for and at a critical time!
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4 comments:
BC:
Right on target as usual...
Look at Rte 102 and 28 in Londonderry; All the build up there in the last 10 years adds much to the tax roles with far less tax impact than housing. We lost the Wal-Mart Distribution Center to Raymond due to our infrastructure issues. We have limited industrial area remaining to develop and Exit 4A is the highway access needed to make the TIF area attractive to incoming commerce. As usual, Derry's history is put off spending any money to make improvements in infrastructure and services to attract business. Just look at Crystal Ave, Manchester and Tsienetto Rds. Plenty of open vacant lots with no takers. Bravo to the Derry Taxpayers in once again nay-saying a positive move forward for Derry with 4A. It's great to know that their short-sightedness will again continue to shift the costs of running this town back onto the taxpayers rather than incoming industry. Has anyone in that group ever considered the concept of "impact fees"? Let the people that increase the cost of services absorb some of the cost impact to the town. Result? No tax increase... Radical concept, huh?
We keep building houses and expanding our school roles because all the newcomers want to attend our great schools. Heck, why not, with the school budget devouring more than 85% of the taxrate, why wouldn't they. Doesn't leave much left for essential town services. Since the schools get a "rubber stamp" on their budget increases, we end up having to cut it somewhere else...
I truly hope that the people of this Town wake up and get out on March 13 and show the special interests in this town that their ideas aren't what's best for Derry.
Get up, Get out and Vote People!!!
Why in the world are these people against exit 4A?? I look at their website and I don't really see where they're for anything!
There's no doubt property taxes are an issue in Derry and across all New Hampshire. But you know what? Progress costs money. And a short sighted vision of halting progress to save a few bucks is just going to to let surrounding towns reap the benefits of our foolishness.
As a small business owner, I can tell you, you have to invest in your future. In good times and bad. And if you don't you'll be put out of business by someone who will.
This is what Derry is facing now. The solution isn't to be short sighted and cut all your spending. The solution is to be prudent with your spending now, in an effort to build your commercial tax base. It may be painful for a few years, but in the end, good planning and foresight could make Derry the envy of southern New Hampshire
It amazes me that the Alliance of Derry Taxpayers oppose exit 4A which will save the taxpayers a minimal amount of money, and yet they don't even have a position on what to do about the state retirement system, which is far more of a threat to towns and their taxpayers than exit 4A will ever be.
Does the phrase "penny wise and pound foolish" ring a bell for these people.
Kudos to you, BC, for putting some of these REAL issues on the table.
I have on question, WHY ISN"T THE MALL in hudson COMING HERE?????????? Where was the DEDC when this was being planned, we get yet another wal-mart, because the one we have now is so freaking great, might as well get another one a bigger one with NOT one register open, anyway off the subject. They get A super MALL, we get a super wal-mart, does anyone see anything WRONG here!!!!!!!!!
very unhappy resident,
They {DEDC} did see something wrong , but it took 385,000 George Washingtons too catch the person stealing it. One might ask, why did it take so long to see it. "Now" that question is reserved for the head of the DEDC. Let's see if they can stay awake long enough to keep "BOTH EYES" on the cookie jar now.
Very unhappy resident , the best thing our past administrator talked about is WALMART. This store has done nothing for this country but supply 6-8 dollar an hr. part time jobs. They just got caught locking imigrants in between 11pm to 7 am to clean store. If one of them got hurt at night, they had no health care, taxpayers pick up the bill.
Almost everything in the store is made in China, India, Pakistan, or Mexico. Every place there are no human rights. Not to mention the crime rate has gone up in almost every single town Walmart is built. More crime equals more cops = more taxes = bigger city halls = more time mom and a dad are working and away from their kids = more crime!
Funny how things go around, come around. THANKS WALMART.
Very unhappy resident, one more thing. MY Dad and MOM raised 7 kids on a military pay. Two years in US ARMY and 24 yrs. in the USAF. WHEN I DRIVE BY THOSE STINKING WALMARTS AND SEE THE US FLAG RIPPED AND TATTERED , MY EYES FILL WITH WATER.IT EVEN SEEMS LIKE MY DADS EYES ARE FILLIN UP TOO UPSTAIRS. LOOK AT THE ONE IN DERRY "RIGHT NOW". IT will stay that way until I march in there and speak in a loud voice again to the manager with the smiley face sticker. That is what Walmart thinks about the USA ,look at the flag they wave. So Maam, if you do decide to go there ,please point out to them the flag issue, before my brother returns from KUWAIT,AFGANISTAN, and IRAQ AFTER SPENDING 7 YRS fighting for that flag. I know he wont be as nice as you!!!!!
THANKS DEDC FOR BRINGING WALMART TO TOWN.
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