Posted by Dennis Herrick on June 10, 2009 at 12:40:22:
People, please! Massachusetts just increased their Sales Tax. This pump is already primed! Town Hall you're just being too impatient. Of course Concord is going to send DRED right down. The State is deep in the hole and needs more Business Profits Taxes to make ends meet. They just invested millions upgrading RT 125 and they want a return on "their" money as soon as possible. The State couldn't care less what your town looks like after the developers get through. And if you're in the way, they'll just throw you out. Just ask poor Mrs (Sawyer) LeBlanc? All they want is the money, people, follow the money. Why are they asking taxpayers to prime the pump again? If you want to reduce taxes start looking at the SAU 55 and Timberlane School District budgets. That's where the savings are hidden. Or how about changing the zoning on RT 125 from Sanborn's Candy north to the Kingston border to permit residential condos and workforce housing. Atkinson, that nice bedroom community right next door has a thriving Condo business going. I'm told it's keeping the whole town afloat. What do we get in Plaistow for our tax money, big drug chains, pawn shops and used auto dealers. Not only are our leaders sitting back on this. They probably came up with the ideas in the first place. It makes me so mad.
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Plaistow weighs new industrial/commercial district
By Margo Sullivan Eagle Tribune
margosullivan@eagletribune.com
PLAISTOW — Looking for ways to build revenue in the recession, the selectmen are mulling a new economic development district on Route 125.
Town Manager Sean Fitzgerald said the idea is to give business owners tax incentives to relocate to the area. The area, which borders Haverhill, Mass., may draw Bay State firms, especially now that Massachusetts plans to increase its sales tax, he said. But the goal isn't strictly to poach business away from Massachusetts.
Many New Hampshire communities are investigating the advantages of the special districts, which would be designated as an industrial/commercial overlay district.
Selectmen recently heard presentations about the plan from Kristi Hartley of the state Department of Resources and Economic Development and from Warren Gerety of the Chamber of Commerce — Southern New Hampshire division.
But the selectmen held off on voting to go ahead with the new district until they hear more from the Planning Board.
Selectmen's Chairman Dan Poliquin and Selectman Charles Blinn said the decision may boil down to a choice between maintaining the quality of life in Plaistow or beefing up revenue.
"We actually are interested, but we need more time to take a look at the map and figure out the land we can use," Blinn said. "It's not etched in stone yet."
Other New Hampshire communities — including Manchester, Nashua and Rochester — are developing similar economic districts, Blinn said.
"It seems like a good idea in these economic times," he said. "All the communities are starting to look at how they can bring in more revenues and offset the (property) taxes."
Blinn said businesses that relocate would receive a tax credit, but the amount would depend on the number of employees.
"The more employees, the better the break," he said.
Poliquin said preliminary indications are that the town Planning Department will like the overlay district.
"They all seem in favor," he said.
But Poliquin said it also was a matter of deciding where to place the district.
"This overlay zoning district is at no cost to the town," Poliquin said. But "the more we develop and bring more people in for shopping, that puts more of a burden on police and fire."
Selectmen meet next on June 15.
wep 6 minutes ago
Plaistow like any other government doesn't know how to live within their means. Several times business were given tax breaks only to die and leave the town with expenses for services never recovered. Instead of pushing more burden on the taxpayer to subsidize these businesses in fire and police support. Fill the vacancies up and down 125. People do not want Plaistow to look and feel like Salem, NH.
DAverill 41 minutes ago
I hope that the selectmen and the Planning Board got the message sent with the recent vote on the proposed zoning change for WalMart. Any zoning changes should not make it easier for Big Box stores to move north on 125, dragging the increased traffic with them.
"Selectmen's Chairman Dan Poliquin and Selectman Charles Blinn said the decision may boil down to a choice between maintaining the quality of life in Plaistow or beefing up revenue." - This is an important point. What type of community do we want our town to be?
wfg2010 52 minutes ago
We have an empty strip mall where the old Shaws was and it is draining the life out of that area, why not worry about getting people back in there before you start turning even more open space into empty buildings.
Plaistow is nothing like Rochester, Manchester and Nashua, the community does not want urbanization. Passing this zoning would be a mistake.