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Published April 20, 2012, 02:09 AM

Letter: Rezone will benefit Hudson

As the planning commission and city council determine whether they will rezone the St. Croix Meadows property now that the referendum has passed, I would like to reiterate why rezoning this property benefits the entire community and provides the best long-term opportunity for additional tax revenues to the city:

By: Kim Brunner, Hudson, Hudson Star-Observer

Dear Editor,

As the planning commission and city council determine whether they will rezone the St. Croix Meadows property now that the referendum has passed, I would like to reiterate why rezoning this property benefits the entire community and provides the best long-term opportunity for additional tax revenues to the city:

  • The average property values of homes in strong school districts are consistently stronger than that of other communities.

  • A new high school will also encourage additional residential building which broadens the tax base for the city — allowing for positive funding of existing city services such as police, fire, etc. as the fixed costs are spread over a larger population.

  • Business leaders have noted that the establishment of a high school on this property will increase traffic which will encourage new businesses to open in the multiple already existing vacant commercial properties south of I-94.  This will also increase tax revenues as well as providing additional employment opportunities for Hudson residents.

  • While the dog track property would come off of the tax revenues in the short term, that lost $25,000 to the city will be replaced with the former rest stop property which will now be rezoned as commercial.  

    In addition, Hudson property values are among the strongest in our area and our property taxes are among the lowest in our area (as a percent of house value).  Based on data from www.city-data.com:

    Hudson: Median property taxes paid for houses with mortgages in 2009: $3,173 (1.51 percent of median house value)

    Prescott: Median property taxes paid for houses with mortgages in 2009: $4,172 (2.06 percent of median house value)

    River Falls: Median property taxes paid for houses with mortgages in 2009: $3,424 (1.72 percent of median house value)

    New Richmond: Median property taxes paid for houses with mortgages in 2009: $3,090 (1.87 percent of median house value)

    Somerset: Median property taxes paid for houses with mortgages in 2009: $3,363 (2.07 percent of median house value)

    It is interesting that Prescott — another river town which failed to invest in its schools — has the highest property taxes as a percent of the median house value. Hudson needs to think long-term in its view of the best interests and tax revenues for the city. A new high school will bring additional growth in both businesses and residents to Hudson which benefits us all.

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