The Griswold Airport property is a bargain for the price. Like the Surf Club, it will add immeasurably to the value of our town. A new coastal park of this size and quality will likely never be available to Madison again, at any price.

Plans for the 42-acre property include several new athletic fields, a kayak launch, hiking trails, and, on most of the property, a nature preserve featuring beautiful tidal marshes, coastal forest, and grasslands that now occupy the site. These ecosystems teem with flora and fauna. If you haven't been there, it's worth a visit. This property is a true gem.

For all of this, Madison homeowners will see our property taxes rise by less than one percent! The median-valued home ($570,000 market value) will see its taxes rise $68 per year, or $1.30 per week. Houses worth less will pay proportionately less; houses worth more will pay proportionately more. The property will be fully paid for in 20 years and then Madison will own it outright, forever.

Scattered claims that the current owner is turning a massive profit are without any merit whatsoever. LeylandAlliance has spent many millions of dollars over the past decade for architects, engineers, lawyers, and other consultants, plus taxes, their general operating expenses, and, presumably, debt service. The notion that their profit can be calculated by subtracting their initial purchase price from the Town of Madison's proposed purchase price is naïve at best. Leyland is selling at a loss. The real estate market crash hurt it and has given Madison a lucky second chance-our last chance.

I encourage your readers to go to the polls on Jan. 26 and vote "Yes" to create a new coastal park and to preserve Madison's scenic character. For more information, visit www.savegriswoldland.org.

Jim Levine

Madison