Fiscal Support
If the town were to decide to move forward with actively encouraging housing diversity and affordability, would you prefer that the town donate existing town owned land, use taxpayer funds, or some other form of fiscal support? Why? Or why not?
Katie Reeves Wed 2 Aug 2023 8:36PM
Reading all of these comments - thank you for sharing and helping the committee to understand how you view these key trade-offs, and your view of how Town assets should or should not be made available.
Andrea Adams Sun 30 Jul 2023 9:00PM
If we’ve got existing town owned land that is not necessary for the comprehensive plan- then it should be allocated. How else do we build our community?
Thomas Kirner Sat 29 Jul 2023 9:53PM
I would not be in favor of any financial support from the town.
Donna Lamberth Sun 6 Aug 2023 5:04PM
@Maria.glaserfirstmaine.usI totally agree. Let's be supportive of a developer's efforts vs being obstructionary. Unfortunately, developers may not be interested in our town for awhile. We have a reputation for blocking change.
[email protected] Sat 29 Jul 2023 4:56PM
Developers which build diversity housing have tax deferral and other financial tools available. The Szanton Company plan is a template.
Sent from my iPhoneMaria Glaser
Al Romano · Mon 7 Aug 2023 6:22PM
I think leveraging town owned land would be the most acceptable approach to the town "chipping in" on encouraging housing diversity. This would turn land not currently contributing to town revenue into a revenue source. I would not favor raising taxes on existing homeowners to subsidize homes for others...it's getting very expensive to live here. I'm aware that there are town residents already cost burdened and worried about being able to stay in their current home with an extraordinary bump in tax increases (school buildings work) already on the horizon. If there are people willing to "chip in" voluntarily, I suppose the town could collect that money into an account specifically for such support.