City looking at hiking taxes on vacant properties

Reprinted from ctpost.com

The RemGrit factory buildings facing Helen Street between Barnum Avenue and Grant Street on Bridgeport’s West Side on Tuesday, November 18, 2014. The partially demolished complex of buildings has suffered numerous fires in recent years. Photo: Brian A. Pounds

BRIDGEPORT — Anyone familiar with the abandoned manufacturing plants and vacant lots scarring Connecticut’s largest city has shared the same thought: Just get rid of the blight and build something already!

City officials are considering taxing at least some of those underused properties at a higher rate to compel owners to stop “land-hoarding” and either get more aggressive about redevelopment, or sell to someone who is.

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