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We Are Being Misled

We read in these columns that Guilford is to have another affordable/subsidized housing development in town. The way it is presented to us, the benefit will be provided to certain groups with town connections, to enable them to stay in Guilford.

This all sounds very warm and fuzzy, but I think we are being misled. Firstly, the categories listed typically are already doing better than many working people, but more importantly there is no way this will be reserved for people with ties to Guilford, nor will there be any preference given to townspeople.

During the presentation of the earlier affordable housing project, a glossy movie was produced showing all the Guilford firefighters, police officers, and others with strong Guilford connections who would benefit from that development. However when I directly questioned whether people with Guilford connections would receive preference, I was given a definitive “No.”

Apparently with state funding the town cannot play favorites, so we taxpayers will be subsidizing anybody who wants to come live here. And this while there are less expensive towns in our state where no subsidy may be needed.

I suggest, bearing in mind that we already pay exorbitant taxes here in Guilford, any unneeded taxpayer-owned assets not be given away, but be sold in the open market, and the proceedings used to ameliorate our next tax increase. Before proceeding we should have clarity on this issue.

David Roberts

Guilford