Dear Editor:

On November 5, Boothbay residents will have the opportunity to vote on establishing TIF District #3. This would create a 272-acre district for future development linking the Boothbay Harbor Country Club, Boothbay Village, and the Industrial Park. The driving force for this new TIF is a major expansion of the Boothbay Harbor Country Club that has been underway for several months.

As the newest member of the Boothbay Comprehensive Planning Committee, I support another TIF that would include the Country Club and Boothbay Village. This would provide Boothbay with a substantial source of property tax revenue from the Country Club that would be temporarily sheltered from the total state assessed value for the town.

It would also require a new road structure to streamline safer traffic flow to the Country Club and through Boothbay Village that, on balance, would seem desirable.

I am uncomfortable with all the costs and the unknown benefits for the Boothbay taxpayer with the inclusion of the Industrial Park in the proposed new TIF. The reality is that actual total costs to the taxpayer could be considerable for the large size of the businesses that are being suggested for the TIF.

Meantime, Boothbay allows near industrial type development in some mixed-use districts throughout the town. So why not encourage and direct these types of businesses to the Industrial Park? But, I am most concerned that Article 2, that would establish TIF District #3, would allow “Credit Enhancement Agreements between the Town and owners of property in the District for up to 100 percent reimbursement for durations of up to the total term of the District.”

A “Credit Enhancement Agreement” is basically a tax break and would be a cost to the Boothbay taxpayer. As a matter of principle, I don’t believe the Boothbay taxpayer should ever subsidize any business as a means of enticement into the community. Any good reputable business should be fully and financially capable of carrying its own weight.

Only if there is a need for public infrastructure (public water and sewer) should the town of Boothbay consider some public cost sharing with private businesses for this infrastructure.

Nicholas Barth
Boothbay