Dems' Lay Out Plan to Revitalize Retail Districts

To the editor:

The Newcomer Sattinger Hines team strongly supports economic development in Moorestown. Economic development generates revenue, and relieves the burden on residential taxpayers. Economic development revitalizes our retail districts. Economic development creates prosperous retail districts and fills empty storefronts. Retail dollars are spent in Moorestown, not in other communities, and Moorestown residents benefit by having valuable retail services close and convenient.

The Newcomer Sattinger Hines team is about results. We are about Results for Moorestown, thus our website, results4moorestown.com.

Every two years, at election time, we hear talk about revitalizing our Main Street and other retail districts. But talk has been without specifics, and the results have lacking in recent years.

Unlike other years, and other candidates, we have a plan. Our plan is to contract, not hire, services for a “Main Street manager.” A Main Street manager will be the portal to retail businesses wanting to locate in Moorestown. A Main Street manager will work to revitalize all retail districts of Moorestown, including the Lenola district, Young Avenue, the Route 38 corridor and Main Street. A Main Street manager will actively seek good businesses for Moorestown, help streamline the processes for opening businesses, and ensure a healthy mix of businesses prosper in our retail districts. Other area communities have had a Main Street manager, with great success, and have been able to consistently fill empty stores.

Our proposal is to contract the Main Street manager position for two years to prove it works. We do not advocate adding additional staff to the township for this position, but contracting these services. The two-year period is to demonstrate that it works. The contracted position will have aggressive metrics to measure performance, and if the position does not achieve those results, will not be renewed.

Our proposal will relieve the burden on taxpayers, by minimizing the cost and generating additional revenue. We propose investing a very small portion of the one-time funds from the sale of liquor licenses, which will generate $5-6 million of revenue for Moorestown, to fund contracting this position. If successful, the position will readily pay for itself in additional revenue for the community and additional vitality for Moorestown. We estimate the cost for the Main Street manager will be between 2-5 percent of the revenue generated from the sale of liquor licenses. We believe firmly this is money reinvested wisely for Moorestown's economic health and future.

The Newcomer Sattinger Hines team’s proposal is a proposal to reinvest economic development dollars for greater economic development. It is time to stop the talking and start acting and create results for Moorestown. Elect the Newcomer Sattinger Hines team and make a positive step towards economic development in Moorestown.

Greg Newcomer, Brian Sattinger and Mark Hines
Democratic candidates for Moorestown council

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