To the Editor:

Recently, the county legislature discussed the possibility of inspecting 35 tax-delinquent properties to determine the level of pollution at various sites. These properties combined owe the county between $300,000-$400,000 in unpaid taxes. The legislature has chosen not to foreclose on these properties out of fear of contamination cleanup costs; however, some properties may have a higher market value then the total cost of cleanup. For many of the sites, the county is unsure if the property is contaminated or not.

I support inspecting these properties to determine the feasibility of taking over these sites and selling the property. In many cases, the county will be eligible to receive federal funding to clean the contaminated properties.

Reducing the number of contaminated properties, and generating revenue for the county is truly a win-win situation. Hopefully, these properties can be cleaned and sold at no cost to the county. As your legislator, I will support fiscally sound plans that clean up polluted areas in St. Lawrence County, and free up land to be available for businesses interested in expanding or moving to St. Lawrence County.

Matthew J. Flynn II

Candidate for St. Lawrence County Legislator Dist. 8

(Canton, Potsdam, Madrid)