Do you remember the Philly Plan?? The plan exemplified by Hanover Theater transformation, that would identify targeted commercial parcels that were not returning the highest returns for the tax-payers and offer:
- Locked in assessed values for a stipulated period of time (5 to 10 years). Some people would call this a TIF.
- Waive water/sewer connection fees.
- Waive permitting fees.
The hope was that if we give these breaks in the short term, we would build the Commercial tax base over the long run and alleviate the burden on all tax-payers, both residential and commercial.. After little discussion it was basically dropped by the City Council. Why?? We never really found out why, since the task force that was suppose to look into it was cancelled.
Flash forward:
- What recent major project of a commercial parcel did not involve a TIF??? The quick answer is none!!!
- Now we read in WoMag that the DPW is also recommending a series of changes that will “eliminate the capacity fees on most change of use for existing buildings and substantially reduce the fees on new uses with intense water and sewer demands,” according to the city manager. Sounds almost like a waiver in water/sewer connection fees???
- Now we only have to waive permitting fees for commercial projects..
In the end we have adopted the Philly Plan without officially doing it. Funny how the same councilors, who rejected the Philly Plan, support it when it is presented to them in pieces. Just don’t call it the Philly Plan!!
We only wonder how much development that we have missed, or could get, if we rolled this into a formal “Worcester/Hanover Plan” to attract developers and increase the commercial tax base ..
