Politics & Government

It's Time For Galloway to Get Serious About Attracting Businesses

Galloway resident Sherry Sauerwine is disappointed Galloway wasn't in play for Harrison Beverage, which recently moved to Hamilton Township.

To the Editor:

An article in The Press of Atlantic City on Nov. 2 unveiled the news that Harrison Beverage has purchased land in Hamilton Township and will be building a new $10 million facility.  This new facility means that Hamilton will immediately receive $500,000 plus from the land sale, which the township can apply to next year’s budget, and for years to come, will realize the revenue generated from taxes on the property. Plus, it will benefit from the jobs that the new facility will bring to the township.

The article praised the efforts of the township’s Industrial Commission for the work they did in making this happen. This is proof that even in a slow economy, there are opportunities for towns to bring in businesses if they have the right people in place in the township government and on the economic development team who know how to do the work that is required to be successful. 

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Obviously, the people charged with developing business in Hamilton actually know how to do it. They were able to learn that Harrison Beverage was contemplating moving their operation from Egg Harbor Township to a location that provided them with more space, and they acted to ensure that the business came their way.

Why didn’t Galloway figure in this equation? There are 21 people sitting on the Galloway Economic Development Committee—three of them are members of Galloway Council, including Tony Coppola, who is up for re-election next week and Brian Tyrrell, who is a Republican candidate for Council. Why can’t this group bring businesses into Galloway, and why has this trend been in place for many years?  

Find out what's happening in Gallowaywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Hamilton Township currently has the bulk of the retail businesses that serve this area including the Hamilton Mall, Consumer Square, and numerous other businesses located up and down the Black Horse Pike. All of those businesses moved to that area while Galloway failed to attract businesses to its major roadway—the White Horse Pike. 

Is Hamilton Township that much more attractive to businesses, or are the people who make things happen economically in Hamilton just a lot smarter and better at representing their area to potential businesses?  

It’s time for change in Galloway not only on Council but also on the Economic Development Committee.  It’s time to put people in office and on the committee who know how to develop business instead of just protecting the status quo or waiting for a business to fall in their lap. 

Sherry Sauerwine
Galloway


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