To the editor:

Our town is deservedly recognized for its high quality educational and cultural offerings, as well as for its natural beauty. Lawrence’s central location and access to transportation are also strong drawing cards for new and ongoing businesses to locate here. It just does not seem necessary to offer property tax abatements to businesses in order to locate or remain here.

However, if the powers that be are nevertheless convinced that property tax abatements are needed, then the suggestions offered in last Sunday’s (April 24) editorial in the Journal-World should be followed, namely, to pay “an amount equal to their abated taxes into an escrow fund where they would be held until the terms of the abatement agreement were met” and/or to establish a proportional abatement system. Reviewing the status of abatements on an annual basis is also an obvious need. These common-sense suggestions would eliminate the current unfair situation which rewards non-compliance by some businesses with their abatement agreements, leaving local taxpayers to make up for the lost tax revenue.

Our town has been left holding the short end of the stick too many times in the past. Let’s remember the old adage: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”

Jane Frydman,

Lawrence