I have heard several times that the new proposed grocery store in Walden will generate annual revenues of $400,000 in sales and property taxes. It was quoted by candidate Lou Ziebold Sunday in the Alderman Forum and is on Mr. Ziebold's website. On Monday, $400,000 was again used in an opinion piece. Look at the facts.... People working on the project have used that number as well. I admit that I don't know how the estimated tax revenues are generated.
I do know that the same sized grocery store at the same site in Walden on Sept. 21, 2022, was projected to make $273,000 for Walden each year. I would like to know how these estimates are done and why there is such a large discrepancy. Significantly, Mr. Ziebold’s revenue estimate does not take into account the cost of all of the services that Walden would have to provide for this large shopping center. I think a complete analysis should be presented to the Town Board.
Gary Smith
Walden