Groton Open Space Association

Wright Says “Race For Ratable Growth” Promotes Sprawl

GROTON–Town Councilor Elissa Wright has released a position paper calling for prompt appointment of “a task force to undertake a thorough, in-depth study and analysis of the real property tax burden in Groton.”

“The tax environment is very important to individuals, to businesses, to the social fabric, to the quality of life and the future direction of our town,” the paper said. “We have an urgent need to improve our understanding of the real property tax burden, its impact on citizens of the town, and the relationship between the state and local governments when it comes to who provides what services and how funds are raised at each level of government to pay for those services.”

Ms. Wright, a candidate for the new council that will be elected Nov. 8, 2005, said in the paper that “today’s fiscal reality is characterized by decreased funding of municipal programs by the state and federal governments, with increasing reliance on the real property tax to finance this widening gap.”

“Our increasing dependence on the local property tax ultimately contributes to density, sprawl and traffic congestion as the race for ratable growth gobbles up more open land for development, in turn increasing the demand for costly municipal services, skewing the balance between preservation and development, and diminishing the quality of life…,” she said.

The paper said a buildout analysis would determine fiscal impacts of land development on local government. It said the analysis would provide a “sound factual and theoretical basis to guide long-range planning about the future direction of our town.” Ms. Wright called for retention of existing businesses, and local and regional efforts to promote new products and enterprises, while preserving the quality of life that makes the town “an attractive place for business to locate and for people to live.”