There have been many a discussion and criticism from the citizens of Whitehall concerning these measures designed to attract businesses, their use increasing then the tax base and raising the level of a municipality’s health, vitality and viability. Some feel that its ‘giving away the farm’, some feel it’s an unnatural way to attract businesses into the community. All the arguments have their various merits.

A few weeks ago I sat down with Whitehall’s city administrator, Zach Woodruff to disuss this very topic. While I have my own viewpoints on the matter, I wanted to give him the opportunity to present his case on the matter, to hear him out. It ended up being a two hour meeting.

His viewpoint, as someone trying to bring Whitehall back from the low points it found itself in until just a few years ago (and with vestiges of that still clinging) is that; he views these things (TIFS, tax abatements) as just some of the “tools” available to create the situations that are advantageous for a better future for Whitehall. I, like a lot of others, concern ourselves with the loss of income for the city and/or the schools. Some feel that it puts the burden on citizens, picking up the slack in levies and surcharges, etc. I can’t say that I disagree with those viewpoints or that I haven’t had my own issues with these tools myself. We argued these things back and forth and had a spirited conversation as a result, the best one I’d ever had with Mr. Woodruff.

So, as with many complex issues, the answers are never so simple, despite my or others wishing them so. It’s often six of one, half dozen of another but, this I do understand; Rot and degradation can come so speedily and easily to a community. Getting and keeping the rosy and robust health of a city and community takes hard work, not just to obtain it but to keep it. For while one is busy obtaining or keeping that success, the civic generators of chaos and deterioration to a community are always active. We have seen it in Whitehall over the last 30 years and the efforts of administrations to slow or halt its progress. That degradation which still persists in our community to this day. Facebook is rife with the tales of other civic degradations such as auto break-ins, speeding, behaviors in our shared stores, lurking by strangers on property at night, littering, etc. That degradation continues to threaten the success we all want and have fought for, so…

While I and others may have varied issues with the use/overuse of TIF’s and tax abatements, after giving it careful and broad consideration, I’ve come to the viewpoint of Mr. Woodruff; that we must use all the tools available to us to make Whitehall the success, again, that we all want it to have and that we know it can have. So then, I’ve come to the conclusion that in order to fight degradation to the community, we must do what we may in order to have the success we all want in the community while at the same time fighting against the degradation that threatens to eat away at that success and bring it all crashing back down to ground zero, yet again.

For that reason, and that reason only, I support the administration’s use of the TIF’s and tax abatements as they utilize them. I wish there were another avenue but given the understanding I have of the issue as I’ve described it above, I see no other path. If there is anyone that would like to disabuse me of this viewpoint, I invite you to do so.

Thank you

Gerald Dixon
Council, Whitehall, Ward 1