HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-19-24 Public Comment - N. Nakamura - We can do better than the AHOFrom:Natsuki Nakamura
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]We can do better than the AHO
Date:Tuesday, December 17, 2024 11:51:41 PM
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Because I became a bit emotional tonight during my spoken comment, I would like to submit
my comments written as well (below). Please also include this comment in the folder for theGuthrie 2 App 24493 development.
I studied environmental science in school and normally I would be more interested andengaged in the Climate Plan Work Session, but I unfortunately feel that there is no space for
energy or creativity when all of my brain capacity has been consumed by trying to learnhousing policy, As Commissioner Fischer aptly stated this evening, how we grow is the
biggest conversation our community is grappling with.Thank you,
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Dear Commision,
In the special meeting with legislators yesterday, it was good to hear everyone talk about theimportance of local control.
Bozeman residents proved that we can take back local control through the BozemanPlastics Ordinance.Bozeman residents sued to protect our constitutional right to a citizen ballot initiative.
Bozeman residents collected thousands of signatures to get the initiative on the ballot.Bozeman residents voted overwhelmingly in support of the Plastics initiative to restore our
local control to regulate single-use plastic, a power the State tried to ban us from havinglocally.
And now, I believe Bozeman residents can work together to take back the local control we
need to properly address our housing crisis.
We can do better than TIF. TIF is designed to give away future tax revenues to developersbased on the assumption that the renewal of a so-called blighted area will sufficiently raise the
tax revenue from surrounding neighbors. It tends to benefit the developer more than theneighborhood or our city.
We can do better than the Affordable Housing Ordinance incentives. We are incentivizing
housing that is still out of reach for working people who earn less than $33 an hour. We arealso incentivizing the demolition of existing buildings and trees, with the false narrative that
this is the price we must pay for affordable housing.
As leaders and public servants of our city, I challenge you all to think about what is the toolthat we are currently being denied by the state that would be most valuable to fight torestore? And then let's get to work to fight for it.
Please reclaim review authority for the Guthrie. Local control starts here.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Natsuki Nakamura