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Community Corner

Economic Development???

A recent Insert in Voice’s by Oxford’s First selectman George Temple really impressed me.  But I was impressed for all the wrong reasons. The insert’s first page read “Has Oxford had Economic Development in the last 2 years”. Inside there were 17 pictures of some of Oxford’s businesses. I believe the attempt of the mailing was to have us believe that all of these companies started under George Temple’s stewardship. The truth is that 16 of them were here before he got elected. Some of these companies have chosen to expand in the past two years simply because it made business sense for them to do so. Not because of any efforts by George Temple or Oxford’s current Economic Development Director.

The only business started in the last two years was the last picture on the insert. That business was Peachwave Yogurt. Looking at that mailing one can assume that Mr. Temple and his EDD have had a very successful two years in bringing new business’s to Oxford. They have not!

The truth is many of these companies started under past Republican and Democratic administrations.  I remember when we had an economic director, Herman Schuler, who was out there every day trying to enhance Oxford’s economic base. He was active. You read about his efforts in this newspaper all the time. He provided the community with periodic updates on all the projects that were underway.  I don’t get that impression of our present EDD during these last two years.  If, as many people believe and as our current First Selectman states, everything starts at the top then George Temple is as much to blame.

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 The bottom of the insert read “Next Question?”  Well here’s my question! Honestly Mr. Temple what have you really done for us in terms of economic development the last two years other than raise our taxes? 

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