A letter to the editor of the local newspaper, the Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel, that I wrote.  A fight has been brewing over a proposed rezoning in our area for a new "big box" store and as usual, it has gotten ugly.  This was published in the paper on 9/22/05.

NIMBY Strikes Again!

Some residents of Thornton just don't get it.  They want more shopping opportunities, they want improved community services like parks and recreation, they want improved police and fire protection, they want, they want, they want!  They obviously have no clue as to how all of this stuff is paid for. 

As Thornton continues to grow by leaps and bounds, managing of this growth has become a primary concern of the city council and they have done their best to balance our growth with the needs of the community.  As the city grows and decisions are made about what type of development is allowed at a given location there are inevitably hurt feelings and people get upset.  This was evident with the 136th Ave. Wal-Mart fight last year and more recently with the "mystery big box" store on 128th. 

Not In My Back Yard.  That is the common thread to these disputes.  Last year some residents felt they scored a victory by keeping a new Wal-Mart from being built.  In reality, they cost the city over $1.5 million in tax revenue and 400 jobs when Wal-Mart decided that right across the highway in Westminster would be a better place for their store.  It was a loss for the city and a majority of residents while a Pyrrhic victory for that small group.  The small, vocal minority of residents that opposed the development cost the city money and they will still have to deal with the additional traffic as Thornton residents drive on those very same roads to go across the highway to Westminster to spend their money. 

People want places to shop, they want improved services and yet they refuse to acknowledge what it takes to accomplish this.  The fact of the matter is that sales taxes are what make the city run.  80% of the city's general fund is generated by sales tax (property tax is only 10%).  Without sales tax, nothing happens – no parks, no fire stations, no snow removal, NOTHING!

No matter what type of store is slated to be put at 128th & Quebec, it is a much needed addition not only for the city's coffers, but also for north Thornton residents desperate for new and closer shopping opportunities.  There are of course valid concerns about traffic and such and just as they have always done in the past, the city will work with the developer to come up with a plan that will address the residents' concerns.  

The city took a bit of a hit in the business community after we lost Wal-Mart and grumblings about us being unfriendly to business have been heard.  This cannot happen or we will soon find ourselves in a situation like Boulder where tax revenues have plummeted as businesses have fled to other neighboring communities that welcomed them with open arms.  The result in Boulder?  Extreme cuts in city services across the board. 

I commend the mayor and city council for the job they have done in recent years efficiently managing the city's growth.  It is a balancing act deciding between the wishes of some constituents and the needs of the city.  In the end, what is best for the city as a whole is what is most important. 

Our elected officials have a job to do and we voted to put them there so let them do it!  To do otherwise would be a multi-million dollar mistake. 

Tony