By Supervisor Sandra L. Frankel
The guest cartoon (Aug. 27) made me smile, but unfortunately it conveyed an inaccurate message.
When first elected in 1992, I gave up the supervisor’s car, saving Brighton taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars over the years. Elected officials do not receive free car washes for their personal cars now, nor would they if the car-wash project goes forward.
The proposal to provide free car washes for town-owned cars, which would save Brighton property taxpayers an estimated $1,500/year, was first made by the Daniele family, the developer of the proposed car-wash project, not by the town. While this proposal was included for consideration by the Town Board, the proposal is not final, and this amenity and/or other conditions may or may not be included if the proposal is approved by the Town Board.
Open government and the decision-making process are not always comfortable, and incentive zoning can be misunderstood. Incentive zoning can benefit the town with a stronger business base and community improvements in the delicate balance among residential, commercial and open space land use.
Other incentive-zoning applications have been very positive, such as an agreement to allow the Brighton Seniors Program to use the pool at St. Johns Meadows. Sidewalks would never have been built as part of the Mercy Park project or the Walgreens store without incentive zoning. Would anyone want to bring back the deteriorated and dangerous Traveler’s Motel?
The town has also used incentive zoning to limit the tax abatements given by COMIDA. How about the expansion of the Corbett’s Glen Nature Park, as a result of Linden Oaks!
We will continue to consider projects that may benefit the town, and we will make decisions based upon accurate information. Stay tuned.
Sandra L. Frankel is supervisor of the town of Brighton.
