Development is like a drug addiction for some small towns. This town needs to be careful not to yield to the temptation to use the fees to be generated by development as the cornerstone of its budget. It's a deal with the Devil and the temptation is right here on our doorstep. WE MUST NOT GO INTO DEBT IN ORDER TO ATTRACT DEVELOPERS AND THEIR FEES. Ridgely must be careful to continue with the policy that DEVELOPMENT MUST PAY ITS OWN WAY.
Many of you have heard about the problems that Ridgely faces with getting its development plans approved by the Maryland Department of the Environment. Many of you also know that our town is way off budget. Sadly, spending has gone on as if everything was already approved and the money needed has been taken from the water/sewer fund. If(and it's still a big "if")the Ridgely Park development falls through because of the delays, we must NOT go ahead and borrow money (about $5 million) to build a wastewater treatment plant. If Ridgely Park is not OK, Ridgely and its plans to build a wastewater treatment plant are not OK. Ridgely Park is to pay for the plant. This fact can't be more plain and simple.
THE PEOPLE OF THIS TOWN SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE FOR DEVELOPERS TO MAKE HUGE PROFITS. The town has correctly made sure developers cover their costs to the citizens of Ridgely. We've increased our impact fees from $3,000.00 (at the time of Lister Estates) to $12,000.oo (by the time Ridgely Park was proposed). Ridgely Park is a carefully planned development that RESPECTS our community traditions AND IT WOULD PAY ITS OWN WAY. WE SHOULD SETTLE FOR NOTHING LESS. Without it, we are back to the drawing board. And, we should certainly not put ourselves as a community over a financial barrel. WE MUST NOT BE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE MUST DEVELOP IN ORDER TO PAY FOR DEFICIT SPENDING.
We are not alone in facing such a problem. Below is a link to a town that is still fighting to regain control of its destiny after making mistakes. >http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=13844
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