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Time to Make the Hard Choices

Guilford’s taxes increase unsustainably, with an aging population, decreasing school enrollment, and a new high school. Selectmen are attempting to balance the budget on the western end of Route 1. This will fail to bring in the money required without looking like Branford Hill. Even if it could bring in the money, spending will soon require further development. If the ambiance of this area is to be sacrificed, why not consider other areas for development also? It’s time to spread the tax and development burden throughout the entire town. Route 80 is the obvious corridor followed by Route 77, but commercial development still won’t solve the problem.

How about spreading the burden over more households? We have the infrastructure in place. We’re looking into affordable housing. (Thanks go to [First Selectman Joseph] Mazza for echoing almost word-for-word what I had suggested months ago.) The committee studying this found the main problem is that land is too expensive. I suggest that it’s time for the town to put some of its property where its mouth is! This study suggested one town-owned parcel, but the study was restricted by parameters of the grant that funded it.

I suggest we go further. Time to make the hard choices before none exist. A lot of money was spent on what’s now the East River Preserve. It was purchased to prevent the owners from developing it residentially. Take a portion of that property and use it for an affordable housing development. The taxpayers have invested in this land and maybe it’s time to let some of it contribute to the tax base for the town.

This won’t be an easy task to accomplish—neighbors will be up in arms over this idea—but what is in the best interest of the town?

Edward Dinse

Guilford