Back in February 2009, the Board of Alderman discussed and resolved to place out to referendum the City of Derby’s ability to utilize the “Connecticut City and Town Development Act”.
To this day, remains confusion as to what benefit the Act could have been to the City.
Simply, the Act allows Cities such as Derby the ability to assist developers in the construction of projects that would produce jobs, increase tax rolls and increase economic growth. The assistance is limited to the benefits of the City’s high Bond rating which would have made the Bonds more marketable.
Only projects that meet such criteria would have qualified to utilize the benefits of low cost financing and the City would receive the benefit of jobs, etc. The approved project owners themselves would be responsible for the payment of the debts, not the City of Derby.
Unfortunately, members of the opposing party took on a concerted effort to spread lies and untruths about the Act. The party acted with selfishness in that they knew that the Act would have produced projects and therefore the current Administration would be viewed even more of a success for Derby.
They could not have that, they put their party first, not Derby.
Now they are trying the same tactics with our Derby redevelopment. They would rather see that fail than have Staffieri win another term in office.
On Election Day, remember what the opposing party is capable of and put Derby first! Vote Row B across the Board.
The writer is a Republican running to represent the First Ward on the Derby Board of Aldermen.
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