Letter to the editor: Supports Rich and Sullivan for Lancaster Planning Board seats

This is a letter of support for Planning Board candidates Jeanne Rich and Frank Sullivan.

Both of these individuals possess decades of planning board experience volunteering for the town of Lancaster

Our town has been faced with budgetary shortfalls for the past several years, the dependency of income generated overwhelmingly from residential taxpayers (about 85%) needs to be addressed.

The most common concern expressed to me over the seven years that I served as a Select Board member was the ever-increasing residential real estate tax bill

There has been an annual operational budget shortfall for the past several years. We have dodged the need for a Proposition 2½ override as a result of using our stabilization fund assets, free cash, along with a recent one time spike in building permit income.

What is now a chronic fiscal shortfall will soon be exacerbated with tax increases once the needs of Nashoba Regional High School are ascertained.

We desperately need to broaden our tax base as commercial real estate currently provides only about a 12% contribution.

There is a need to work with, not in resistance to, experienced developers. It should, and can, be a win-win for both parties without surrendering the rural nature and open land this town offers.   

Lancaster needs Planning Board members who are cognizant of our needs and will provide common sense support in working with experienced developers who have positive track records.

Our local touch towns are making substantive progress in commercial development - why do we lag?

Please consider voting for Jeanne Rich and Frank Sullivan who have proven track records and an understanding of appropriate commercial development.

Stan Starr 

Lancaster