Letters To The Editor: Mansfield Needs Leaders

The following letter to the editor is from Mansfield Selectman Steve Schoonveld. If you would like to submit a letter to the editor, you can contact Mansfield Patch Local Editor Dan Libon at Dan.Libon@patch.com. Please note that letters for the Nov. 14 special election will not be accepted past Nov. 10.

Dear Fellow Residents,

Mansfield is in a great place today and with great opportunities ahead of us. But what does Mansfield need going forward?

Mansfield needs leaders who will focus directly on building a strategy for a strong and sustainable future financially, economically, and with a zeal for enhancing our community for the betterment of all our residents. We need leaders who deeply study the issues, are focused on smart and sustainable growth and have the people as their primary focus. These have been my goals since my early days on the Finance Committee and I continue to pursue them as your Selectman. They are at the core of what I believe it means to be an effective public servant.

But our opportunities can’t be realized without working well with our very strong department heads, boards, committees and employees. There are three key issues that speak to why this election greatly matters:

Taxes: Our business and industrial tax base is eroding. That means higher property taxes for you and me. During a recent Selectmen’s meeting I presented a slide which showed the average residential annual tax is up approximately $183 due to the lost Commercial and Industrial values since fiscal year 2013. Had we retained our balance of business and residential mix at 2013 levels, this amount would have been sufficient to pay the added tax for the current new debt servicing for the municipal project.

We need to urgently focus on maintaining our current base and bring in strong businesses that will help pay for vital services like police, fire, and teachers. Seniors and young families shouldn’t continue to bear the financial burden of our lackluster business development plans.

Main Street: Our zoning requirements in key areas of the town do not readily support a variety of development. For example, off-street or valet parking is required to open a restaurant in our downtown area, while currently that is not required of existing restaurants. This is just one example that severely limits our ability to have the variety we do crave in our community along Main Street. Reinvigorating the area is everyone’s objective but we need to do this in a balanced manner and we need to do this urgently. Every year we wait is a loss of tax revenue and lost opportunity.

Underdeveloped green spaces: Thankfully we are re-developing our parks and recreation areas after years of neglect. This is great for our kids, but what about our adults and the growing senior population? With a little courage and foresight, we can have the added parks, open spaces and a bike path running through the downtown that will answer that question and furthermore support business opportunities in the area.

Selectman George Dentino served the town of Mansfield with great distinction for many years. A true outsider, he fought every day for every resident, without bending to what was politically easy or expedient. While you and I may not have agreed with each of his positions, no one can question his commitment to doing the right thing for our town. George’s seat on the Board is now being filled in a special election on Tuesday, November 14th. Filling his seat with someone who serves the public as he did will honor his service.

Mansfield needs more principled servants of the people who don't play politics with our town but do what’s right for everyone in Mansfield. We need public servants who have a proven history of success working urgently with all stakeholders to identify and solve problems. At this critical time we also need diverse points of view at town hall from leaders who share that vision to strategically tackle the issues before us. Without that diversity, without that debate, we are very limited in what can be accomplished.

First, I strongly urge you to vote on Tuesday November 14th. Second, I urge you to vote for a public servant who will fill this seat that was once occupied with such distinction. This is not a game. This is OUR Town. We need to seek to make the most of it for everyone.

Sincerely,
Steve Schoonveld

Newton Street

Steve is a member of the Board of Selectmen