Ill-conceived endeavor

I agree with Mr. Goetz’s letter in your paper on Jan 4 (“Warrenton jewel”) that ignorance is indeed a dangerous thing. In the case of the Mosby house, we have no idea how much money the town is spending to pursue this tax credit.

Two outside councils, a special CPA, and numerous consultants have been engaged by the town in this endeavor, not to mention the months and months of time.

Additionally, there is still work to be done before an occupancy permit can be issued, and all of this has to be paid for by the town.

Over time, they might get $100,000.00 from the credit, but how much will the town have to spend before the doors ever open? If the money is received in the form of rent, how long, if ever, will it take to recover these out-of-pocket expenses?

Anyone who reads the state’s guidelines for historical preservation tax credits (they are available online) has to wonder how in the world the town could ever qualify. What happens if the application is denied?

The Mosby museum may have originally been well intended, but at some point, you have to stop and balance the money spent and the potential results. That should have been done before one dollar was approved for chasing tax credits.

Christine Dingus

Warrenton