Is Tewksbury 'Suffocating' Small Business?

There are two sides to every story. And this week, Patch readers voiced both sides when it comes to the current state of the Tewksbury small business market.

Earlier this week, Patch user Hanson wrote a Tewksbury Business Association blog post titled "Tewksbury Suffocating Small Business."

During the post, Hanson wrote that a recent Tewksbury Business Association survey of local businesses showed that there are concerns among business owners in town.

"Tewksbury is a beautiful town that has many advantages over the surrounding towns but cannot seem to have the right formula to attract or keep existing businesses which is the key to town economical success," the blog reads.

According to the blog post, there are three ways how the town is taking "the oxygen out of the business community."

The blog cites high real estate taxes, water and sewer rates, and Town Hall, which the writer claims business owners consider "unfriendly," saying that it is "often who you know, not what you know."

Not everyone, however, agrees with the Tewksbury Business Association blog.

Writing representing himself only, and not the Board of Selectmen, board member Scott Wilson wrote a blog of his own called "Scott Wilson Speaking Out" that spoke against the claims made.

Wilson writes that "the restaurant industry in Tewksbury is booming. We have more great restaurants now than we did five years ago."

In addition, Wilson said that he believes the town previously operated in the "who you know" style of management, but says that is not the current state of Town Hall.

"I’m not naïve enough to believe that it happens but to suggest that this is Tewksbury today would be missing a lot of good work that has happened in recent years," wrote Wilson.

So what is your take on the state of Tewksbury small business? Do you believe local business is being suffocated, or are the claims overstated? What can be done to improve Tewksbury's business scene? Let us know in the comments section below.