Westbrook (and other communities) that waive impact fees (“Westbrook kills impact fees on construction – again,” Sept. 12) are totally bilking local residents by subsidizing speculative development.
Instead of building additional infrastructure as part of a comprehensive plan, it will proceed in disorganized, piecemeal fashion, which will inconvenience residents as well as nickel-and-dime them into decreased quality of life via increased tax rates that the town’s property owners will be stuck with financing.
It could also lead to development that the local market doesn’t really justify and the community may not really want. Realistic impact fees need to be paid before the first permit is approved.
Pay now or pay later – it always costs more to pay later. Follow the money.
Waiving impact fees is another example of crony capitalism.
Jack Boak
Bremen
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