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A Bad Way

Selling off a prime site in the center of Madison’s Historic District is a bad way to lower taxes.

There is a proposal to sell off the Academy School building to a commercial developer to produce taxable residential property. This is not good for the town’s visual character or for its economic development.

Drive by Madison’s Historic District and picture what it would look like with the Academy School building removed and replaced by grass. You are then extending the quintessential New England Town Green in front of the Congregational Church in the west to the Deacon John Grave House across Academy Street to the east. The area is surrounded by attractive and functioning town owned historic buildings including the Memorial Town Hall and Lee Academy. This is an enormous asset to the town.

Maintaining the integrity of Madison’s Historic District can enhance property values and help our ailing commercial center. Prospective home buyers and visitors with money to spend in our stores and restaurants are attracted by charming surroundings. That’s why we just invested heavily to beautify our town center.

As shown by other deteriorating properties in town, with a commercial or privately owned building, it is difficult to enforce maintenance levels that prevent it from becoming and eyesore.

Decisions like this are forever and require both vision and long-term thinking. Let’s not make the wrong one for the sake of a few bucks.

David A. Rackey

Madison