Smart Growth for Vernon, CT

Very funny, Manchester

EDITORIALS & COMMENT

Journal Inquirer
January 10, 2005

You've probably heard the one about the guy who murdered his parents and then pleaded for mercy because he was now an orphan. But maybe you haven't heard the one about the town that used property tax abatements to outbid a neighboring town for a big shopping mall and commercial area and then appealed to state government for financial assistance because of the heavy expense of policing the commercial area and maintaining its roads.

The latter story is no anecdote; it's what's happening in Manchester, whose officials are seeking legislation allowing towns with big commercial districts to claim a share of sales taxes paid there. State government is to think that the Buckland commercial area was an accident and not the result of determined municipal policy.

Having plenty of its own accidents to attend to, state government should invite those Manchester officials to tell another funny story.