Taxpayers Should Not Have to Subsidize Normal Real Estate Investment

By Larry Breitfelder

January Comments to the Chula Vista City Council

Fees prevent taxpayers in general from having to subsidize a small group of people getting a benefit (involving some cost to the public) particular to those few. In that sense they are a tool of fairness. And not a tax unless they are excessive or wrongly applied.

Prior to the recent court decision on redevelopment, the council voted to waive fees on development in parts of West Chula Vista. Changing circumstances call for reconsideration of that decision.

Costs don't go away. We must be mindful that subsidies in the form of uncharged fees mean that the public covers those costs by sacrificing core services such as public safety, road repair and library hours.

There may be circumstances in the future that require us to consider offering incentives to be competitive in attracting a university or a selected clean industry like biotech - that could revolutionize our local economy to everyone's benefit.

But we can't have taxpayers subsidizing routine real estate investments.