SOUTHINGTON, CT — Despite opposition from speakers at a public hearing, Southington officials last week easily approved a tax abatement plan for future hotel projects.
The Southington Town Council unanimously approved the proposal at its regular, Sept. 9 meeting.
It would aid a yet-to-be-finalized application to build a new hotel on West Street in Southington, along with future hotel developments. It wouldn’t apply to future motel projects.
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According to the tax break proposal, the plan allows for five years of tax breaks for developers on any taxable property improvements at a site.
To qualify, the project must exceed $3 million in cost, a threshold that should, easily, be met.
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The standard tax abatement would be 100 percent in the first year; 100 percent in the second year; 100 percent in the third year; 50 percent in the fourth year; and 50 percent in the fifth year.
Prospective applicants would file for the abatements in the Southington Economic Development Office and the Economic Development STRIKE Committee.
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At the Aug. 12 Southington Town Council meeting, Southington Economic Development Director Louis Perillo said the site would be on 17 West St.
Perillo, who also briefed the council at the hearing last week, said, in the past, council members have approved tax abatements for similar projects.
According to Perillo, hotels are seen as key complements to local tourism, especially given Southington being home to Lake Compounce amusement park and the Mount Southington ski resort.
Plus, he has said, hotels also bring in visitors who stay in Southington and spend money at local businesses like restaurants.
Ultimately, the town council would have the final say on any specific abatements for any specific projects, including the unnamed hotel project.
Perillo Sept. 9 said past tax abatement proposals “sunset,” meaning the proposal lapses after a set period and, as a result, must be re-introduced when development is pitched.
“We’ve done this in the past, but they sunset. There’s a lot of interest in building hotels in Southington so we thought it would be a good idea to reintroduce it,” said Perillo on Sept. 9.
While the council vote was unanimous, three public hearing speakers were against the tax abatement proposal.
West Street resident Bob Rembish called the abatement proposal “a failure of town government.”
Rembish expressed concern the hotel site is relatively close to a school, adding that other hotels/motels in town “are basically drug dens and areas of prostitution.”
“We have to say how many hotels in town do we have?” asked Rembish.
Cheryl VanCor of West Main Street expressed similar worries, adding she was never notified of any hotel projects in that area.
She also expressed fear that increased traffic there could be a safety problem for those living nearby.
Safety also fueled Eden Avenue resident George Roberge’s comments as he expressed opposition.
Council members from both sides of the aisle cited the economic development benefits in supporting the tax abatement plan, which would be for not just this one development, but others in the future.
“I understand some folks don’t think we need hotels. But hotels bring in a lot of tax dollars,” said Southington Councilman Michael Del Santo.
“I think it’s very important that we are attracting businesses and giving them the tools to be successful,” Councilman Jack Perry, himself a small business owner, said. “I think the town giving a little bit today, the dividends will pay 10-fold.”
He said bringing in businesses helps take some of the tax burden off the backs of residents.
For the minutes of the Sept. 9 Southington Town Council meeting, click on this link.
From Sept. 6: ‘Southington Mulls Tax Breaks For New Hotel Project’
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