COMMUNITY COMMENTARY: Should we spend .5 million dollars on parking lot?

by Al Althenn
Member China Budget Committee

There currently is an initiative underway to push the taxpayers into spending over one half million dollars on a Parking Lot at the North end of the East basin of China Lake. See e-mail transmission underlined below just as it was received from the Town Office by me 8-17-2016:

Please see the attached draft estimate associated with the potential  redesign initiative of the Causeway Road for economic development consideration, and therefore for TIF funding. As noted at TIF Committee meetings, this is a preliminary report and will change over time as the project is perfected to be sent to the Select Board for review and then to the voters.  Spending our money this way one can expect would not only bring about higher taxes but significantly higher boat traffic and other unwanted issues on the lake.

The people paying the big property tax bills investing near the water would get to listen to more boats racing back and forth churning up the already dirty lake water, and would surely be adding to the litter, noise, and congestion, while the whole town has the privilege of paying the bill to support this intrusion. Certainly it would detract from the property values of lake front owners not to forget those near or within ear shot of the lake.

WHY? What do people in China get for this sacrifice in money and peace? Maybe a milfoil infestation.

Please see above mentioned chart below.