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Politics & Government

Latest Fort Deal: Precedent for Businesses?

Patch asked Oceanport Mayor Michael Mahon to tell us why anyone should pay attention to small deals like AcuteCare.

If your only interaction with Fort Monmouth is to stare at it while sitting in Route 35 traffic, you may be tempted to gloss over news stories about its redevelopment. But while you sit idling, there is action behind the scenes that could affect your future job prospects, and those of your children.

No new jobs have come to fruition yet, but a potential deal in Oceanport could set a precedent for businesses to settle down within the former Army post. And they will certainly affect the taxes that homeowners pay.

Patch asked Oceanport Mayor Michael Mahon to give readers some context about the latest deal that could go through this fall with AcuteCare. You can read more on that story here.

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Here's our Q & A with the mayor:

Patch: Why should Oceanport residents care about this, the first real business to set up shop at the fort?

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

Mahon: The Fort closure has impacts which will be felt for years to come, and the Oceanport governing body has taken a position that current residents shouldn't bear the cost of services associated with the Fort redevelopment. Simply put, the purchasers of various sites within the Fort can expect to support local municipal services, school districts, open space and county services through property taxes.

Patch: Why should area residents care?

Mahon: Because the model will need to be repeated again and again as the fort redevelops. It's important to understand that any benefit offered to one, will be sought by every purchaser that follows. And so, we'll proceed with caution to protect the borough and avoid the temptation to deal away incentives that will burden current and future residents.

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