Dear editor,

According to your April 14 article by Stephen Dawkins, an informative workshop at Alabama Power took place. Local leaders attended. 500 acres of land was purchased jointly by the county and city of Clanton.

It was noted that selection factors, including tax exemptions, play a major factor in being chosen by developers for future industrial sites. The “$3 million plus” price tag for the rushed purchase of this property is only a small deposit, considering money needed for “speculative” buildings, noting that 65-70 percent of companies looking for property in Alabama want an existing building.

Local officials should do more research prior to making such an expensive investment. How many more millions will have to be spent before we see one dime of return on this land?

These officials are not on Wall Street and should be held accountable for all of the investments chosen. Is this investment going to be like all of the other “big companies” located in Chilton County generating zero taxes through years of exemptions?

Hopefully, Dr. Price can stand up and be counted by continuing to vote against these exemptions like he did Johnson Controls!

B.D. Ryan