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Note: The Lawrence Times manages opinion columns and letters at the time written by members of the community with variable perspectives on local issues. These pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff of the Times.
Would you like to send a letter to Times? Great! Here’s how to do it.
I write as an optimistic resident of Lawrence who thinks that the challenges of our community can serve as catalysts for deeper and more inclusive progress. Although we face problems of housing, land tax and slow economic growth, we have a great opportunity to improve the daily life of our residents and allow local businesses to grow.
The Panasonic development and the influx expected of new visitors and dollars of the World Cup are two emerging events which signal an opportunity period for the Lawrence community. The new land development code opens the door to more affordable accommodation and commercial opportunities. We must also work to welcome new employers by identifying where we want to grow and remove the friction of our internal processes which add costs that have an impact on all.
We must continue to hold the line against the increase in residential taxes, but we also recognize that we cannot reduce our path to prosperity. To move forward, we must seize the opportunity and invest in our future. By supporting the expansion of existing companies and attracting new employers, we can create jobs, increase our tax base and finally facilitate pressure on residential property taxpayers.
Let us grasp priority to policies that guarantee that the progress of our community is for the benefit of each resident of Lawrence and we make sure to seize the opportunities during the next decade. Economic prosperity associated with the affordability and availability of housing is a result that we can all achieve together.
– Gary Rexroad, Lawrence
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“By supporting the expansion of existing companies and attracting new employers, we can create jobs, increase our tax base and finally relieve pressure on residential property taxpayers,” writes Gary Rexroad in this letter to Times.
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“Please encourage development interests – public and private – to engage the district so that the results reflect a judicious density which adds value to all those concerned,” write Phil and Peggi Englehart in this open letter to the planning committee.
Tom Harper / Lawrence Times Share this message or save for later
Josh Millstein intensifies to keep Liberty Hall alive and well, aimed at preserving the vision of his father and an emblematic piece of the historic district of the city center of Lawrence, writes Tom Harper in this column.
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“We see daily how families of all kinds – linked to blood or chosen – have pooled grocery store, invoices and childcare to protect each other. Occupation caps effectively criminalize mutual aid, which makes people more difficult for people to meet the basic needs, ”write four local housing defenders in this column.
