Concerning the CenterPoint project
Published 12:29 pm Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Suffolk is not the city to take on such a large project which will require improving U.S. 58. Sunday, Sept. 7th there was an article in the Suffolk Sun stating that Suffolk City Council may have found a way to get around the road improvement hurdle by implementing a CDA act. This involves that the authority repays the bonds with special assessments or taxes on the properties within the district.
This is not the time or place to invest $90 million dollars of tax payer’s money. As I understand it this will impact all Virginia tax payers.
What happened to the smart growth management strategy plan that was to prevent rapid growth in Suffolk? Are Suffolk City Council members blind to the troubles the city of Chesapeake encountered with rapid growth? Do they really think that we will be enticed by the 7000 jobs they are anticipating? We were told that the Target Warehouse and the Hilton Convention Center would bring jobs to Suffolk also, a small percentage of employees were hired from within Suffolk.
The Suffolk News-Herald had a front page article August 24th that I found most insulting. I do not know where they found the people they quoted, but one in particular needs to return to the concrete jungle she came from. I find it mind boggling that anyone would actually state that we have too much farmland now, and that she lives on one and a half acres of ground that does nothing.
Cotton, peanuts, soy beans and corn are all grown in Suffolk. I can only assume this person does not consume any of these or she would not have such an unintelligent opinion. I live on two acres of ground that not only produces vegetables but supports the diverse wildlife with flowers, trees and shrubs.
Please remind your readers and Suffolk City Council that with the UDO we were promised a Smart Growth Management Strategy. Undertaking the Centerpoint project would be a horrendous, costly mistake from which it will not only take many years to recover from, but will affect us all.