Mayor Casavant has devoted the bulk of his administration’s time and effort to the downtown area. Yet the commercial tax base in the City of Biddeford isn’t located there.

The largest taxpayers in the city are located in the southern area of Biddeford, and far from the downtown. Per the 2015 city financial statement, they are: Market Basket, $43,382; Flowers Foods Bakery, $17,818; Walmart, $17,818; CMP, $16,441; BVH LLC Shopping Center, $13,636.

The downtown has shown little meaningful tax revenue growth commercially.

In 2011, when Mayor Casavant took office, the largest taxpayers were: MERC, $54,953; Biddeford Crossing, $37,302; IBC Bakery, $36,379; Walmart, $18,309; BVH LLC, $13,636.

Additionally, Biddeford’s largest employers are not located downtown. They are: SMMC, 1,887; UNE, 796; Market Basket, 315; AVX, 290; Walmart, 275.

In 2012, the city purchased MERC at considerable expense to Biddeford taxpayers. It is now 2016, and the land where the city’s largest taxpayer once stood stands vacant and city-owned, producing $0 in tax revenue, and is a net liability. Where is the bonanza of tax revenue we were promised five years ago?

Howard Hanson
Craig Cantara
Concerned Citizens of
Biddeford