Bancroft + Development = Higher Taxes + Congestion + Crowded Schools
Are you in favor of
- Lower Borough and School Taxes in Haddonfield?
- Getting Millions of Dollars Back from the County and the State?
- Smaller Class Sizes in our Haddonfield Schools?
- Less Traffic & Congestion?
- More recreational parks & fields?
If you are in favor of some or all of these you need to act now. Here's what will happen if you don't:
- Haddonfield consultants Heyer & Gruel have already reported that Bancroft is an area in need of
redevelopment. - On April 11th, the Haddonfield Planning Board will consider whether Bancroft should be declared a
Redevelopment Zone. - As soon as (and likely on) April 25th, the Haddonfield Borough Commission will vote to declare Bancroft a
Redevelopment Zone.
Here are FIVE SIMPLE ACTIONS you CAN DO NOW to help yourself and your community:
1) Learn more about the potential impact of a redevelopment zone by scrolling down this page.
2) Visit HaddonfieldAction at www.haddonfieldaction.org. Learn about true cost of additional housing on
Bancroft, see maps, photos, reports, etc. Be sure to register yourself as a supporter of Open Space and
Community Space at Bancroft and let us know that you are taking these steps.
3) Speak out! Contact your Planning Board (send an email to Andy Johnson, Chair -
AJohnson@williampennfoundation.org) and the Borough Commissioners by clicking on these links and tell them;
"No redevelopment zone without a specific, written plan to keep taxes and congestion low and quality of life high!
I need to know what Bancroft transaction you are trying to control before you declare a redevelopment zone.
Stop meeting in closed session and tell me what is happening with Bancroft.
Show me the plan for lowering my taxes, not raising them, once Bancroft has left their property.
I have already paid County Open Space Taxes, Green Acres Taxes, and other taxes that can now be used to
buy Bancroft. Why won't we use my tax dollars I have already paid to purchase Bancroft for Haddonfield?"
4) Show Up! Mark your calendars to attend the Planning Board Meeting on Redevelopment on Tuesday, April
11th, and the following Borough Commission Meeting on Tuesday, April 25th. Both meetings are held at
Borough Hall at 7:30 PM.
5) Demand that your Commissioners adopt stricter land use laws that protect our Open Space, preserve trees
and natural areas. Ask the Commissioners to put all Haddonfield residents first by purchasing Bancroft for
Haddonfield with the aid of millions of dollars in County and State taxes (that you have already paid)
as well as available near-no-interest loans from the state, private grants, and foundation money. Yes, we will
have to pay for part of Bancroft ourselves, but it will cost much less than any new housing on the Bancroft
property.
Thank you for helping keep Haddonfield green and livable,
Herb Hess
HaddonfieldAction.org
More details about the potential impact of a Redevelopment Zone at Bancroft.
Bancroft recently filed an objection to Haddonfield's Affordable Housing Plan, opening the door to a future
lawsuit to force Haddonfield to rezone Bancroft for high-density housing. This could lead to over 350 housing
units where Bancroft is currently sited, at the eastern edge of Haddonfield. Each new home in Haddonfield
actually raises taxes by adding students to the schools, additional roads, sewers, police, fire, ambulance, trash
removal, and other services.
Think about it. Haddonfield has been fully populated for decades now with a low commercial tax base. While
our population doesn't change from year to year, you can count on school taxes rising 6% and Borough taxes
rising (on average) 8% each year. Do you believe that adding more families to Haddonfield will lower our
taxes? Visit HaddonfieldAction for extensive studies that prove otherwise.
Why does a Redevelopment Zone matter?
While the Commissioners state that a Redevelopment Zone designation gives them more control over any
'transaction' they will not say what that 'transaction' is. Why not? Perhaps they realize that with a
Redevelopment Zone comes...
Eased restrictions on rezoning
(Garden State Track redevelopment went from over 1,100 houses to over 1,600 houses after a Redevelopment
Zone declaration and an ensuing lawsuit brought against Cherry Hill).
Tax abatements that will reduce tax payments from new homeowners for 5 years, sending all of the lowered tax
receipts to the Borough and none to the Board of Education.
(How will our School Board pay for the additional teachers and classrooms needed to educate potentially
hundreds of extra students?)
Loans of millions of dollars borrowed by the Borough at low interest that will be transferred over to the
developer.
Tell the Commissioners what matters to you:
Quality of Life
Lower Taxes
Open Space and Community Space
