Response to Mr. Lantigua
This is a reply to a comment posted to the previous article. The comment can be read by clicking on the word comment at the bottom of that article.
Mr. Lantigua,
Thank you for your kind comments about my efforts. It’s important to be diligent and thorough, don’t you think?
You ask, “what’s in it for the developer?” Well, I hope profits are in it for them. After all, isn’t that why developers develop? Isn’t that how they have the money to pay taxes to the communities in which they do business? But perhaps your question was rhetorical.
Our neighbors have every right to oppose the Shops at Milton Centre. I can understand how they might be fearful of their home values being impacted. I can understand it, but I don’t think that will be the case. At the same time, we must consider this proposal from the perspective of what will benefit the town as a whole –the 26,000 residents and approximately 7,500 home owners who are struggling to finance the town services we demand.
I happen to think the Shops at Milton Centre is a very attractive proposition for Milton. But I have not made up my mind because we’re at the very beginning of the process of evaluation. We need to look carefully at the traffic issue, and other concerns may arise.
That doesn’t make me a shill for the developers, Mr. Lantigua. My concern is not for them, but for what our town needs. If I have a bias, that’s it.
At some point I hope it is going to occur to opponents that their cause is not well served by mischaracterizations of the motives of people who disagree with them. My motives, Mr. Lantigua, are just as honorable as yours.
posted by Philip Mathews at 11:08 PM
1 Comments:
Mr. Mathews,
Since you believe the mall is a good idea for the town, please take the time to examine the developer’s claims. Really take a close look at all of them. Look at the delta of the developers’ claimed sq. footage, the commercial tax rate in Milton and the 2.5 Million over 5 years. This mall isn’t just for the residents of Milton. The mall cannot survive with only our support. Our sleepy weekend town will turn into a destination shopping experience for the surrounding communities. On my nightly walk with baby and dog on Randolph avenue, I see BJ’s hot dog wrappers and Wendy’s bags and cups littered along the side of the road. These two stores are in south Randolph and 7 miles from where I walk. I guess those people don’t drive through your neighborhood and nor will they if the mall opens. Have you walked around the shopping areas of Randolph? If Milton is to remain a clean and green community it will cost more town money to keep the streets clean. The mall will cost the town more in services. This will quickly erode the $500,000 annual claim. I’m for the schools. I’m going to be sending my child through these schools.
You may not feel that the value of the homes of the abutters will go down, but you are mistaken. It doesn’t take a genius to see the value of having woods beyond the back yard versus a 500 plus parking lot. The lights, trucks and litter cannot have a positive impact on their homes. I’m not an abutter. My impact is minimal.
Do you take the first offer from a car salesmen? A vendor when at work? This offer from the developer is only a first offer. Time isn’t running out on the land. I’m sure once we get several move developers interested in the spot, we might even find the big box retail isn’t the best option for the town. First offers are rarely best for the buyer. How about the golf course? We really got the best out of that deal (ha!) and we have the same people in place for this process. Hold you horses, get the community involved and get what’s best for Milton. If in the end it’s a mall, then so be it, but don’t bypass exploring options because one developer says he has a plan.
Douglas Lantigua
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