The colleges in Potsdam have been enjoying their tax-free locations greatly over the past several years. I think they have a found a way to skirt the reason they are tax-free: instead of students coming downtown to spend money to make up for the loss of a tax base, they are finding everything they need right on the campuses. Look at how many restaurants they’ve added and Clarkson now has a pub. To help make up for this, Potsdam should take a look at the land on Main Street by the Collegiate Village and across from the SUNY Potsdam athletic field and consider adding a strip mall there. They could put a couple of restaurants, maybe lure a Denny’s there, shops, and a bar there to encourage students to leave campus and spend money on the local economy.