Brewery seeking tax break; Voters to decide at special meeting.

Byline: Craig S. Semon

STURBRIDGE - Voters at a special town meeting Monday will decide on plans for a microbrewery in the old Basketville building and for tax breaks to encourage economic development projects along Route 20.

The special town meeting will be held after the continued annual town meeting, which starts at 7 p.m. at Tantasqua Regional High School.

Pioneer Brewing LLC, which now operates at 195 Arnold Road, in the Fiskdale section of town, wants to renovate a vacant Basketville store building at 413 and 419 Main St. The Basketville chain store closed in 2006. The company would use 9,000 square feet for a microbrewery and a restaurant, where the beer would be sold.

Voters will also decide on whether the Board of Selectmen can offer tax-increment financing, or TIFs, for a commercial tourist area on Route 20. The microbrewery and restaurant would be in the area and would be seeking the TIF.

To qualify for the tax break, a project could not create an excessive burden on the town's infrastructure and utilities and must have a reasonable chance of creating jobs for residents.

The TIFs would become available July 1 and expire June 30, 2014, and are expected to immediately increase the taxable value of property in the area.

Property taxes for qualifying projects would be reduced by 50 percent the first year, 40 percent the second year, 30 percent the third year, 20 percent the fourth year and 10 percent the fifth year.

During the annual town meeting, residents will vote on a $22.9 million budget, which is $71,192 less than originally proposed by the Finance Committee and is $40,838 less than FY09's budget.