A Plan To Make Newtown More Competitive

To the Editor:

I need to correct some erroneous statements made in your May 21 “Editorial Ink Drops.” Perhaps it is best to start with three key points made in my opening comments to the group gathered on May 11 (reported quite accurately on the front page of the Section C of The Newtown Bee, May 21, 2004).

I outlined the future thrust and direction of Newtown’s Economic Development Commission (EDC) as follows:

We intend to maintain the character of Newtown.

We want to increase employment opportunities for our residents.

We must increase tax revenues to Newtown.

The idea of “promiscuous promotion of commercial development” was never our goal nor even suggested by anyone at our gathering nor by any person in a decisionmaking position in Newtown. Such baseless and inflammatory rhetoric contributes nothing to the rational discussion of economic development.

The figure you quoted of 1.8 million square feet of potential commercial development is very misleading. It assumes that all available properties can and will be saturated with commercial development. The EDC opposes this form of crowded development. We should realize that of all the land currently available in Newtown, less than two percent is zoned for commercial development.

It is true that the EDC is interested in increasing Newtown’s tax base. We have, however, added an important caveat: this increase will be with a minimum or no increase in our infrastructure or services required.

We are not directly concerned with personal housing as many municipal and market organizations are governing and directing these activities. We have endorsed age restricted housing because it will have minimum impact on our infrastructure and our burdened services while contributing considerably to our tax base.

We are currently working to update our Strategic Development Plan and will present suggestions for a new Business Incentive Plan that will make Newtown more competitive. With the completion of these and additional programs, our marketing plans will be more focused and directed toward bringing valuable additions to our commercial population.

We appreciate your support and best wishes in these endeavors and will make every effort to keep you and your readers well informed on future developments — after all, we all want what is best for Newtown.

Best regards,

Chet Hopper

Chairman, EDC

131 Boggs Hill Road, Newtown                                      May 24, 2004