Letter to the Editor
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I am voting for Ray Strebel because he is the best candidate to help improve and grow Alton.
In 1990, I began building Hopp Hollow Estates in North Alton, and today, we have 45 homes built and occupied. At the start of the development, the city offered an incentive, contributing over $1 million toward streets and sewers, and I spent similar or even more towards the same.
The city got their investment for streets and sewers back in just 15 years through its share of property taxes. The homes should last another 100 years, so the city will make money for a long time. And these homes have not just been financially helping Alton; these developments created jobs and have kept people living in Alton. 
So why have none of the recent mayors done anything similar with any other builders in our area? Why are we not developing homes in large groupings or on single lots? Older towns that have been struggling for a variety of reasons need incentives to attract builders and buyers. The city can offer numerous incentives, such as waiving property taxes for a certain time period, or installing sewer and water lines, pouring new sidewalks, assisting with down payments via federal programs, and more. Many other cities do this, but not Alton.
I feel that Ray Strebel will make a concerted effort to get some new homes built throughout Alton, using whatever reasonable means the City of Alton can offer. His professional background and experience on the board prove he can deliver results for residents. That is what we need, and why I am supporting Ray Strebel for Mayor.
Ed McPike
Alton
