TO THE EDITOR:

Business owner Wade Vitalis of Taylors Falls wrote a letter to the editor last week about Chicago County's weak commercial tax base. He was dead on target.

The problem is obvious: Chicago County has a 6.63 percent commercial tax base when a 15 percent commercial tax base is needed for a sustainable community. 

Achieving a 15 percent commercial tax base will need County's leaders to be more open-minded and more focused on attracting "targeted" industries and companies to Chisago County.

To get started, Chisago County needs an Economic Development Summit -- a joint task force of business leaders, academics and lawmakers to increase Chisago County's commercial tax base from 6 percent to 15 percent or more.

Why is a 15 percent commercial tax base needed?

With less than a 15 percent commercial tax base homeowners experience higher real estate taxes. When higher taxes are needed to support services for our growing population commercial and property taxes go up. 

An Economic Summit could be a good first step toward creating a future that all residents want -- a community with a rural feel, a community with economic strength and good paying jobs, a community that allows children and grandchildren to thrive in the County.

What would this proposed summit on Economic Development in Chisago County discuss and who would attend?

Content of the Summit:

• Review how other counties have succeeded and have acquired a 15 percent commercial tax base. 

• Decide what type of commercial enterprises could be successful in Chisago County in the short and long term.

• Draft a 20-year Economic Action Plan for Chisago County with annual progress reports to the public.

• Analyze the County's Strengths, Weaknesses, Threats and Opportunities.

Who would attend the Summit?

Invite a dozen CEOs from targeted industries, business leaders from Chisago County, township and city officials, economic development staff from successful cities and counties in and outside of Minnesota, appropriate professors from the U of M, etc. to meet at a conference center for two days. Ask the Public to attend.

Chisago County needs commercial development. Its residents need tax relief. A focused effort to make Chisago County grow in sensible ways is needed now.

We know the County's leaders are more than capable of leading the charge to a more economically sustainable community. We ask them to fund this new start to achieve the future our residents want and need.

Tom O'Mara and David Whitney, Chisago County Taxpayers for Responsible Land Use