SMOC is in the process of purchasing the Framingham Nursing Home at 517 Winter Street. The most likely use would be for a family shelter. We as neighbors are concerned as to what impact this will have on our families. SMOC housing attracts people from other communities to Framingham and then Framingham tax payers become responsible for educating these children. I imagine their school transportation fees will be waived as well. Not to mention the taxable income on a 2 million dollar property that Framingham will lose.
Framingham residents should have a voice in approval of non-profit organizations' purchases and uses of properties in our town. We should have the ability to decide what non profits we want to support as tax payers. We should be able to say Framingham already has enough properties that aren’t paying any taxes. We are educating enough children at $8,200 per child a year. We don’t need to import more charity cases into Framingham. We already do our share. In 2002 SMOC owned over 63 properties in Framingham -- more than all the surrounding communities combined. SMOC is growing in Framingham, building a need for their services by importing and housing their own clients at Framingham's expense.
Some say that Framingham would not have a deficit if we collected taxes from all the non-profit properties in the town. Non-profits need to inform the town before making any real estate purchases. Even from existing non-profits. We should have the ability to say yes this is a good service we are willing to support and the ability to say no.
We already have many shelters in Framingham which add stress to our police, fire, schools, ambulatory care and hospitals. We need to put some checks and balances in place now or we will all be living in SMOCINGHAM.