A mayoral debate will be held on the subject of downtown revitalization on Sept. 27 (Thursday) at 5:30 pm at the Richland Academy. Questions submitted for the candidates must be received by Sept.19 at Main Street Mansfield.
I have been hearing about the same thing from all three candidates regarding demolitions. The vacant lots multiply year after year and the process of creating empty lots hasn't slowed the further deterioration of surrounding houses. Yet all of the candidates seem to be emphasizing that they would make demolitions a top priority, as if this process would work if we just did it fast enough.
I would just once like to hear someone in the city administration or a mayoral candidate admit that demolitions haven't worked any magic in the past and maybe there are better ideas out there in similar communities around the country for encouraging the maintenance and restoration of existing housing. It seems the combined benefits of restoration, maintenance of the tax base of a property, and eliminating the wastefulness and high cost of demolition would make it far more cost effective in dollars spent, or tax benefits bestowed on homeowners or investors than this single-minded approach that isn't working!
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