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Keep the Courthouse in Litchfield
By Diane S. Blick
Diane S. Blick is President of the Litchfield Area Business Association.
As a group of local area business people, we are writing to support keeping the new courthouse in Litchfield. It is a fact that the local businesses and retailers rely on the business derived from the daily influx of people who are at the courthouse. Business in Litchfield slows during the winter months, and should an out-of-town site be chosen, some local businesses may not survive.
It is not only the restaurants that benefit, but the retailers who operate the gas stations, banks, gift and specialty shops, clothing and service stores. If the court moves to Torrington, Litchfield will still get the traffic from the west, but will not get the benefit of the clientele.
Currently, Litchfield faces many projects that will increase out taxes. The $400-$500,000 reimbursement in lieu of taxes from the state is no small amount, and would help our tax base so as to minimize the burden on Litchfield’s residents.
It is time to move forward to keep this much-needed and valued facility in Litchfield—the "county seat." We urge all of you to support local business by writing your local representatives and town officials, and asking them to work together in support of maintaining the courthouse in Litchfield.
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