Public sounds off about tax abatement plan

Six people spoke at Monday night's public hearing on the proposed housing construction tax abatement plan--four in opposition and two in support.

Decorah resident Craig Spilde said it is inaccurate to say the tax abatements won't cost the City of Decorah any money, since the city would be giving tax abatements even to housing projects that would have been built without the abatements.  Another resident, Tony Larson, pointed out the city needs to have money to pay its bills and the tax abatements would remove some of that money.

Decorah business owner Russell Novak spoke in favor of the proposal, stating, "We have a housing issue."  Decorah resident Keith Christensen urged city council members to approval the proposal, noting, "This program does work (elsewhere)."