Referendum best way to decide Foodtown site's future
Foodtown site, located near the intersection of Route 70 and Brick Boulevard, offers many advantages for a community/recreational center. It is centrally located in town and is adjacent to Forge Pond, which would provide an ideal area for family gatherings, canoeing or paddle boating in addition to other community activities that could be conducted within a new or renovated building on the site.

Arguments that there is too much traffic there for a community center don't wash. Traffic from any of the proposed combined hotel/retail uses will be dramatically greater, worsening an already bad situation.

It is understandable that Mayor Acropolis and his council are anxious to sell the property to regain some credibility about trying to mitigate the tax rate, but they don't know for certain how the people feel about what is being proposed.

Their loyal followers, of course, will cheer their efforts, much like they cheered for the ill-conceived Ice Palace deal, but there is a great number of people who may have second thoughts about the intensity of the project and may want to be given a chance to voice their opinion in a formal manner as to whether the land should be sold off for the purpose of a hotel and more retail outlets. Some questions officials need to answer are:

What will the sale of the property and subsequent ratable gain actually mean to the average homeowner in dollars and cents?

Will any tax benefit be worth the loss of the site for a community/recreational center?

What about the traffic impact on the infrastructure if the site is developed commercially?

Does the area really need a hotel, especially since a new hotel is about to open only a mile away?

Do a majority of the people favor such extensive development at the location despite any tax advantage?

Would a majority of the community favor a community/recreational center on the site?

These are questions that the mayor and council should answer before proceeding too far with the sale. The alleged loss of a "community center," aka ice hockey arena, when the Ice Palace deal folded left many of the current administration's supporters disappointed. They blamed the StopOverSpending campaign for pursuing a referendum for the people to decide on the Ice Palace purchase. However, the Ice Palace deal collapsed before the people had a chance to vote on the purchase. It would be the right thing to let the people decide on the fate of the Foodtown site.

Some may argue that officials are elected to make the big decisions and that referendums cannot be held for every major decision. That is true. But there are certain actions that virtually demand the people's blessing. Traders Cove was one. The people should have been given a choice whether condos should have been built.

The Ice Palace is another. Ironically, the referendum might have actually supported the purchase, and Acropolis could have been on his way to having his regional ice hockey arena being built.

The Foodtown site is in the same category. It is a major undertaking that demands the people have a say. Acropolis wants people to come out to meetings to give their opinion, but that isn't going to cut it. A better way is by referendum. They can easily pass an ordinance to put the question on the ballot. Or is it going to be déjà vu all over again?

Sal Petoia

Brick