Dear Editor,
Without getting too far into the weeds, surrounding Southeastern Company’s request for a 20-plus-years tax abatement in order to develop the Harmony Road/ Helms Farm property owned by Goodwill Industries, please allow me to respond to County Commissioner Richard Garrett’s letter of June 15th, in which he states his “ reason for even considering” a change of his opposition vote to granting tax abatement to Southeastern to a supporting vote is “… because it will help fund the expansion of Goodwill Industries and investment that could read might be a game changer for Putnam County.” Emphasis mine.
Mr. Garrett, you can support Goodwill by making a personal financial donation, by volunteering, by donating a toaster or purchasing one from the Goodwill stock. You do not have to vote commitment of taxpayer money through abatement.
Mr. Garrett, for all the good that Goodwill does, it is still a business entitled to make decisions impacting said business, whether successful or not. Goodwill’s purchase of the Harmony Road property was a decision made by its board of directors and for whatever reason, the plans did not work out. In the years since the purchase, not one bit of soil has been turned to develop Helm’s Farm.
Goodwill saw an opportunity to divest itself of the property, the plan, and recoup some of its money and be used in salaries for its executives, staff, employees, facility upgrades, program enhancements, et cetera.
Or perhaps it might just put the proceeds into the general coffers. These are business decisions that any business is entitled to make.
Southeastern may already have secured the Harmony Road property for development. I have nothing against housing being built in our community. What I do object to is that our county commissioners would seriously consider committing us, the taxpayers, to a 20-plus-years tax abatement to support Southeastern’s building project. There are several housing projects underway in our community and to my knowledge, not one of these businesses has requested an abatement.
Mr. Garrett acknowledges, “of course there will be trade-offs and unknowns,” but one thing is certain, Mr. Garrett, if you and your fellow county commissioners vote to grant the requested abatement, we the taxpayers may be committed to funding those unknowns and dealing with those trade-offs while our taxes support already in place vital and struggling city citizen services.
Mr. Garrett, I ask that you talk with your fellow commissioners to call for an immediate vote to deny Southeastern’s request for tax abatement. The vote does not need to be tabled or held after this SPLOST referendum. If the project is sound, Southeastern can secure a business loan, develop the property, including any of Goodwill’s vision, and buyers/renters will come and Southeastern can still profit. That is the way business is supposed to work.
Housing sold will generate funds as property taxes, which will benefit our community. Should Southeastern decide it will not build without such concession from the taxpayers as represented by you and your fellow county commissioners, by voting to deny the requested abatement you will positively serve your constituents and the taxpayers of Putnam County will avoid what might well be a long-term and burdensome liability.
Regards, Mona Betzel, Voter in District 2 North Madison Avenue, Eatonton