To the Editor:
There has been a lot of discussion about growth in Hancock County and whether that benefits us or not. Control of those decisions has been in the hands of those who treat growth as if it is a gift from God with offers that we cannot refuse.
To back up their beliefs they have tripled the paid staff of the Hancock Economic Development Council in this last year.
However, development is not free. The cost of every service provided by all governmental units in Hancock County has been significantly increasing as population grows because of the moving in of new residents attracted by new business development.
Much discussion has occurred because of the significantly increasing numbers of police and firemen, as well as the $44 million new jail. But I was reminded when reading today’s paper regarding yet another increase in Greenfield’s water rate, that each of the many utility costs across all of the county are caused by the increased needs necessary because of growth.
Increased utility costs are perhaps the most insidious of the costs of growth. That’s because they consist mostly of payments for large construction costs paid for by bond issues that will be paid for, and therefore still with us for many years, over the long life of the bonds. Over those years more construction, and therefore more bond issues, will be added on top of previous bonds. So when we are deciding whether growth is overall beneficial to us, let’s factor in the frequent utility bill increases.
Suellen Portman
Greenfield
