For once I'll shut up and let the voters do the talking. I'll give my two cents once the poll has closed.
4 comments:
Anonymous
said...
The big issue is assessments. I'm told the reason we care about our commercial downtown is because of the taxes they pay. But, I believe those buildings would generate more taxes if they were all converted to condos.
For example, look at 1-5 State St. That building is only assessed at a little over $1 Million. But, it sold 3 years ago for almost $3 Million! If it were cut up into 8 or 9 condos, I would guess it would have a total value of $3-4 Million, and it would be assessed for that amount.
Aha. So, the Vision Appraisal System sell price info is worthless, since the given value might be for more property than the property being viewed. You'd think they would at least show that as a footnote.
Re: top topics for City, I think it should be less 'rear view mirror' items which essentially are defensive of 'the way it was' and more forward looking notions like:
How can we participate in the new clean tech economy, or the biotech economy? How can we protect our local sustainability from $100 oil? What's going to get us through the next 20 years that leverages our strengths and mitigates our weaknesses?
In the last 20 years we benefited from the hi tech economy generated around rt 128. What can the City do to place us in a position to benefit[or protect us] from whats next?
4 comments:
The big issue is assessments. I'm told the reason we care about our commercial downtown is because of the taxes they pay. But, I believe those buildings would generate more taxes if they were all converted to condos.
For example, look at 1-5 State St. That building is only assessed at a little over $1 Million. But, it sold 3 years ago for almost $3 Million! If it were cut up into 8 or 9 condos, I would guess it would have a total value of $3-4 Million, and it would be assessed for that amount.
dick,
2 and 4 State St were also part of that same transaction. You need to add those assessments to 1-5 State.
Aha. So, the Vision Appraisal System sell price info is worthless, since the given value might be for more property than the property being viewed. You'd think they would at least show that as a footnote.
Re: top topics for City, I think it should be less 'rear view mirror' items which essentially are defensive of 'the way it was' and more forward looking notions like:
How can we participate in the new clean tech economy, or the biotech economy? How can we protect our local sustainability from $100 oil? What's going to get us through the next 20 years that leverages our strengths and mitigates our weaknesses?
In the last 20 years we benefited from the hi tech economy generated around rt 128. What can the City do to place us in a position to benefit[or protect us] from whats next?
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