Opinion: Save the Farm!

The average house in Wilmington went from $357,745 in 2012 to 423,886 in 2017. In 2012 the tax rate was 12.14 on every thousand dollars compared 14.45 in 2017? What? The average tax bill went from approximately $4,000 to $6,000, a 40% increase! Yet Wilmington has one of the lowest Outstanding Debts in the area at about 42 million? Wilmington also has one of the largest Free Cash reserves in the area. Development does not keep taxes down! Stop believing this lie. New growth is a quick hit with long term impacts. Thoughtful development and saving open space helps keep taxes down and increase community values. We have had little of both. You can’t stop development but I am tired of footing the bill for these feeding frenzies.

Your effort on Saturday to protect this land will have a forever positive impact by:

• Adding value to the public good.
• Lessen the burden on municipal services
• Protect what little is left of town character.
• Link to Andover open space
• Stop the alternative, a horribly thought out large scale commercial rezone
• Give us something back for the high taxes we pay
• Protect water our supply, wildlife habitat
• Give residents quality of life, open space to clear their heads, long walks with the kids, the dog. The list goes on.

Communities that protect and take care of their open spaces usually find their open spaces in turn take care of them. Natural places enrich our lives. Open space is what separates towns from cities. Rezoning a neighborhood into a dense commercial mixed use development that t can have hotel is just wrong and not fair to the people that live there and the town as a whole. The developers have mis-led people telling the the elderly they will supply elderly housing when 55 and older is not even allowed in their proposed rezone. A horrible ill-conceived rezone or SAVE THE FARM? For me it is a no brainer. The ball is in your court on Saturday May 5th 10:30 High School Auditorium. I hope you all come out and play. Your town, the future, needs you. This article will be heard early before Annual Town Meeting at apron 10:30.

Thank you,

Suzanne Sullivan

60 Lawrence St.