Let private business run its course

I grew up in a small town, Franklin, New Hampshire, prior to moving to North Carolina almost two decades ago. I read three online editions of New Hampshire newspapers daily. I have been following one story of a piece of property that I am familiar with that was once owned by famous statesman, Daniel Webster. A developer wishes to make a subdivision out of the old farm. That area of the country needs more housing and the old farm sits there doing nothing. However, conservationists have gotten involved and this development has been stopped with planning and zoning problems. Several groups have wanted to preserve the farm simply because it was once owned by Daniel Webster. My take on it is "SO WHAT?" I don't care who owned it. Someone owned it before his father bought the property in 1800. Did you read that? 1800.

What I see now is that OUR tax dollars are going towards the effort with a half million dollar grant from the federal government. That's right, money from North Carolina citizens is helping to pay for a tract of land in a small town in Franklin, New Hampshire. Even though I don't live there any more, I am helping pay (along with YOU) for a piece of old, unused farmland in New Hampshire.

I hate that the developer had so many problems attempting to do something useful with the land. He was generous in offering much of the tract for a new school, as well as some of the existing buildings on that land. It had become an orphanage as well as a convent during its 200 + year history since Daniel Webster's father purchased the land.

The town was wrong for being so restrictive on private enterprise. They were also unwise to accept the deal of a new school and land for development for a school. Then we have a grant application and approval for our tax dollars (as if there weren't any more important things for our tax dollars to go to) to purchase the land. When will such things stop? It should have stopped with the town (actually, Franklin has a city charter rather than a town charter). Things like this are why I am running for town council here in my chosen hometown.