We don’t need another hero
We are fortunate to live in a great place. Chestnut Hill is a great place and yet, despite our inherent affluence, we apparently need heroes. Years ago the hero was …
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We are fortunate to live in a great place. Chestnut Hill is a great place and yet, despite our inherent affluence, we apparently need heroes. Years ago the hero was a local developer, now apparently it's the BID. Apparently the populace is weak and needs a hero. Heroes apparently seize on coincidental occurrences to help them justify them as heroes.
Two weeks ago the editor acknowledged the dilemma of those asked to pay more to support a BID that they may not yet appreciate. Unfortunately the Local did not delineate where the new borders were. This week a descendant of the Woodward dynasty said it was the unit blocks on either side of the Avenue. If true, the current, but questionable hero of the Avenue is trying to aspire to the glory of Thunderdome, except even they say, “We don’t need another hero.”
I suggest that Chestnut Hill is arguably an affluent neighborhood that can support a large retail base. I have observed for 25 years that it also draws from a wide area. It is widely known that many historically vacant sites are due to the whim of their owners, or the limits of acceptable zoning. None of those limitations can be cured by a BID, or by expanding their budget.
If the Woodward letter is correct – that the intent of the BID is to extend to the extent of the unit blocks – well then this is indeed a non-funny joke. Perhaps there originally was a slim majority that elected to approve this assessment. I have heard no request from those to be taxed that they want this. Despite recent misuse of the Tea Party phrase, this seems like taxation without representation.
Ed Budnick
Chestnut Hill
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