To the editor,
Greene County has always been a welcoming place for newcomers. The schools, churches and general population are open and ready to lend a hand.
Jefferson has a diverse culture, the owners of Oly’s Corner, The Peony and Casa de Oro to name a few examples. As far as I know none of these people asked for or needed the services of a Multi-Cultural Family Resource Center.
If people want to move to Greene County they can figure things out by themselves by asking questions, getting to know their neighbors and fellow church members. The schools are open to everyone.
Being an immigrant is not simple. For an immigrant to thrive in another country three things are paramount: becoming legal, learning the language, and adapting to the culture. It is not the responsibility of the county to do things people can and should do for themselves. Hiring someone to run a Multi-Cultural Family Resource Center will serve little purpose in recruiting new residents. Quite a lot of money has already gone into this effort and the results have been dismal.
Some say Jefferson needs more affordable housing. There is no such thing, $750 for a two- bedroom apartment is barely affordable. If a company wants to build, let them do it, but with little or no assistance from the local taxpayers. A ten-year tax abatement is too much; why not two years if any? I have read that the proposed housing would not be government subsidized. Good, make that contractually binding, leave no loopholes.
This is not a simple issue, but it will not be solved by willy nilly throwing taxpayer dollars at it. Property taxes in Greene County are extremely high. This is no incentive for anyone to buy here. There are better ways to use our money than Multi-Culti programs and forgivable loans.
Bruce Banister, Jefferson
