 Economic Development
in Abington
A Summary of the Difference Between the EDC
and the EDCorp
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Attempt To Pass The Economic
Development Corporation Using Unscrupulous Tactics
WE HAVE AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE CALLED THE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (EDC) - AND HAVE HAD FOR MANY, MANY YEARS
IN 2019, THE TOWNSHIP PROPOSED A "CORPORATION" THAT
COULD ACTUALLY UNDERTAKE PROJECTS AND USE YOUR FUNDS AND
RESOURCES.
The Economic Development Corporation ( introduced 9-4-19 )
Please see full
details on this
separate page
What could possibly be wrong with
your legislators setting up a separate corporation where they
are, in essence, the "developer" ...but where
they do not ? EVERYTHING .
Please see the
full details on this separate page
The Economic Development Committee
We already have an Economic Development
"Committee" but as
of 9-19 the Commissioners are striving to incorporate another
entity that will have the power to be a "developer" in its own
right - not to just advise or recommend.
The Economic Development Corporation will be able to buy, sell and
hold property ..... which the EDC cannot do. The EDCorp
will be able to make a profit and use that profit as
it sees fit. which the EDC cannot do.
Butthe
Township can hold property - and even make a profit. But
they have myriad rules that provide for protection from the
misuse of taxpayer monies - like bidding requirements.
Other benefits corporations have
over advisory boards: Even before this corporation, businesses have had more than their fair share of goodies from Abington taxpayer
pockets.
That being said, many businesses are desirable and enhance our
lives..... Taxpayers may like that some incentives are
shared to keep desirable businesses here . But it should
be the voters of the Township who decide what businesses to
support. If they want to give extended zoning uses out to
accommodate a certain kind of business, that should be a
decision clearly supported by the voters of the
municipality. Sound economic development policies
don't usually come by handing politicians - or businesses - the
keys to the kingdom. and saying " here... I have no idea what I
want to do .... you take my money and resources and do whatever
you want." Few taxpayers would want that to happen.
The Committee was supposed to be chosen in order to
provide ideas for the Commissioners and facilitate ideas and
partnerships that were in the public's interest.
But in recent years we have seen our Commissioners approve a proliferation of nail salons,
pizza parlors, Mexican restaurants, etc. We have also seen
the proliferation of landlord owned residential units ( ie:
large apartment complexes) that are considered a boon to
economic development by our politicians - but undesirable by
most residents who are caught all day in the traffic and other
problems they cause. We don't all have the same opinions about
how much development is too much - but on average, current
residents DON'T want an increase in density. So while Commissioners
said they wanted to see more "mixed use" areas- residents don't
want their homes to be in commercial districts. In some
places, despite an edict to move to mixed use, we saw mixed use replaced by
purel residential use ( such as the former
Colonade, now 100 York). So what was supposed to be great for
one, was shunned by another who was not required to
follow that new directive. When mixed uses pop up
encouraging commercial establishments in areas that might
have remained wholly residential, another downside is that the new stores compete
with the mall and cause it's demise. End result - all our
neihborhoods more mixed - and giant structures become hard to
find new uses for.
The recent re-zoning that passed Township- wide
in April 2017 incorporated 1- shared parking, 2-far more mixed use
areas, 3- a pulling up to the curb and more urban feel to many
corridors , 4- an attempt to rezone residential areas to a more
commercial use, and 5- the addition of accessory units like small
cottages that could serve as in law residences but that are not
attached to the main residence (causing a division of the lot). These separate units will
surely become rental units someday as in law uses are often
quite temporary. These are just some of what I find to be
moving int he wrong direction.
These "visions"
that they are trying to institute through the changed
zoning are of great concern,
as they transform our Township into something that most
residents did not desire - all in an effort to garner far more
"economic activity" .
But economic activity that does
not match the residents vision of their own Township, degrades
the value of their homes - and rarely puts any additional monies
in their pockets. The Township incurs greater expenses when it
develops more densely, and those additional monies quickly
disappear with far more voices clamoring to have their "share" or
their "special interest" accommodated. Once upon a
time the Township property tax accounted for 55% of the budget .
They sought extra revenues to ease the property tax burden and
got the budget down to where only 22% of the budget came from
property tax. Sounds good - but they added for more "wish
list " items in and it gradually climbed back to being
$38% of the budget by 2020. Creating more reveue
MIGHT temporarily LOOK like a fix - but what is happening behind
the scenes is of great consequence --- and you CAN'T see ... or
OVERsee that !
Please see the
full details on this separate page
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your fellow Abington residents. Send any
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information, comments or questions to:
lel@abingtoncitizens.com
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