Long ago, when John Kennedy was in office and people still read and ordered from the Sears Roebuck catalog, a new concept called “shopping centers” was born.
Caldor and Bradlees stores in Northampton were packed with shoppers. Hadley residents dreamed of lower taxes and eagerly sold their golden goose (land along Route 9) to developers.
Soon, long before the traffic tangles of today, we needed more fire protection and more police to serve these Route 9 industries. Somehow support (taxation) for services needed by these businesses was given by Hadley residents. Both business and residential tax rates are equal in Hadley.
Now, at last, we have a chance to give something to ourselves — to spend our taxes on a service that we need and will use. The state of Massachusetts has granted nearly $4 million toward a new library for Hadley. This grant recognizes both the residents’ needs and the excellence of the plan for a new library.
We have the chance for a new library and only need to appropriate $3.79 million, which is about 46 percent of the total cost. We have a chance for a new library for less than half the project cost.
Please come to the special Town Meeting Aug. 29 and vote in support of the new library — support acceptance of the $4 million and help build a future for Hadley residents.
Stewart Clark
Hadley