Letter: Tax benefits for developers hurt essential city services
To the Editor-
I want to address a concerning issue in our community: recurring referenda on funding essential services like education and public safety after economic development projects are approved, especially those using tax abatements.
Tax abatements are supposed to attract businesses by lowering their taxes. While this can create jobs, it often means less tax money for our local government. When government has less money, we end up needing additional public support to pay for essential services.
This brings up a key question: Why are we voting on funding for vital services instead of holding referenda on projects that hurt our budget? It is unfair that residents have to choose between supporting necessary services and facing the financial problems caused by government decisions favoring certain businesses.
While levy limits affect our budget, blaming state policy will not solve our issues. Deflecting accountability only hides the real costs of tax abatements. More often than not, using tax abatements and then asking for referenda to fund essential services places a heavier financial burden on residents than if we simply relied on referenda from the start.
I urge our local leaders to rethink the overall impact of their decisions and to focus on sustainable growth that benefits everyone in our community. By doing this, we can better protect the services that everyone relies on.
Thank you for your attention to this important issue.
Sincerely,
Jerome Segura III
Stevens Point
Dad. Economist. Farmer.