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Why we need Smart Growth

“… residential property consistently receives more in town and school service expenditures than it contributes in tax revenues. …

“Agricultural land and open space uses can be an important contributor in the local community and economy. The presence of active farms can provide livelihood, aesthetic value and cultural continuity to local communities. This study suggests that important fiscal benefits may be linked to agricultural and open space land uses as well. These fiscal benefits should be considered in assessing the merits of various tools to help shape the town’s future.”

Cost of Community Services Study, prepared for the Town of Warwick, 1998,
by Michael R. Hattery, Local Government Program, Cornell University.

“Discovering” Red Hook

As real estate prices soar in and around New York City, and people leave the city for a better quality of life, more and more young families have been “discovering” Red Hook. Open spaces, picturesque farms, neighborly streets, good schools and local services—all part of our friendly, attractive, rural community so close to the big city—have been drawing a steadily increasing stream of new residents to Red Hook.

The pressure’s on

Recent public recognition creates increased demand for more housing and commercial development. More development places greater pressure on local schools and services, like roads, police and other emergency services, refuse management, libraries, and so on. And development greater demands on natural resources such as the water supply. However, we have a choice: we can guide development now, or we can ignore the problem and suffer the consequences later. Few gain from the rush to development more houses, many lose.

Population: going up, up….

In just 3 short years {from 2000 to 2003) the population of Red Hook grew by 6%. Each new house, each new occupant, places increasing demands on local government for more schools, roads, sewers, water, police and other emergency services. Parts of the town are already facing water shortages that can only become more critical with added development. Many residents already feel traffic is a problem and getting worse. And the rate of population growth is increasing.

Smart Growth

Uncontrolled development threatens the very aspects of Red Hook that make it a great place to live. We’ve seen it happen in nearby towns. As a community, we must understand and actively maintain a balance between development needs and the needs of existing town residents. We can grow intelligently, maintaining essential natural resources and controlling infrastructure costs. Some valuable work has been accomplished, but much is left to do.

In particular, the proposed Community Preservation Fund can help us prevent losing what we now treasure about Red Hook.

Growing town=growing taxes

Each new household adds to the need for more school facilities and other government services. On average, 1.25 additional children join the school system for every new house built. A farm sold for development replaces the one or two families who lived there with 20-40 new families. That means 25-50 new children requiring school facilities, library access, recreational facilities, etc.

For every $1 farmers pay in taxes locally, they receive less than 20¢ in government-provided services. In a typical new housing subdivision, for each $1 paid in taxes, more than $2.00 is required in local services, raising taxes for all of us.