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Public commenter urges caps on abatements, rescission if boards ignore requests
Summary
A public commenter told the committee abatements have harmed local businesses and recommended cutting incentive rates, capping terms at 10 years, and rescinding board authority when requested standards are violated.
Mr. Kent, who submitted a comment card and spoke during the pre-meeting's public comment period, argued that pilot extensions and certain board practices have led to disinvestment and that reforms are needed. He said the community has been "ripped off" and urged reducing incentive rates, capping abatements at 10 years and eliminating avenues to evade predevelopment taxes.
Kent also recommended a compliance-based approach: if a board failed to follow the committee's requested standards, the commission should consider rescinding that board's authority. He cited increases in extension terms at the DMC and alleged misuse of pilot-extension funds ("they ripped off $4,000,000 from the pilot extension fund for, quote, garage repairs").
