Letter: Chamber's position on Bamboo Village site a concern

Editor, The Banner:

As black clouds gather above Bamboo Village, does it seem what goes on in Bonita Springs is business as usual?

Without a vote of its membership, it appears the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce has accepted a sponsor and endorses the plan to develop expensive condos on the former Bamboo site. Its recent advertisement says the developer will repay the city 100 percent of what it cost the city to purchase and clear the land. Problem is, the property may be worth over twice that amount. The chamber ad says "the city will not subsidize any part of the project." That statement is irrational and illogical. If the city sells the Bamboo property for $4 million and it's worth $10 million, that constitutes a $6 million government handout (subsidy). Taxpayer-funded subsidies paid out to several property owners in the Route 41 corridor should be of concern to all Bonita taxpayers. Among those waiting in the wings for the windfall is the ethically challenged Councilman Ben Nelson. He might vote for the project despite personal real estate holdings in the area.

All this disrupts the affordable housing market in Old Bonita. There are alternatives!

— Ron Pure / Bonita Springs
Chairman, TaxpayerActionGroup.org