Below is the full text of the letter that we received from the Midlantic Business Alliance:

December 2, 2005

Suburban Office Equipment
Business Owner
49 E. Lancaster Avenue
Ardmore, PA 19003

Re: Midlantic Business Alliance to Support Save Ardmore Coalition

Opposes Disruption of Businesses and Lives in Ardmore

Dear Business Owner,

I am writing to inform you that the Midlantic Business Alliance, a 4,000 member business organization located in Broomall is giving the full support to the Save Ardmore Coalition. As you already know, this dynamic grass-roots organization is taking on the issue of abuse of eminent domain as a mean of dirupting businesses and lives in Ardmore and all of Lower Merion Township.

While on the surface, the Gateway Project and other so-called improvement projects have the right "sound", the actual issue is the disruption of the lives and livelihoods of long-time Ardmore businesses because of the unsubstantiated "vision" of a small number of individuals. The dynamics of a free market are under attack in your township, and I urge you to be active in opposing blatant attempts to use the increased power of eminent domain to carry out that attack.

Midlantic Business Alliance hopes that all of us can understand the far-reaching implications of a land-grab in Ardmore, and for that reason and on behalf of more than 4,000 member businesses in the region, we will stay involved in the matter. It is unfortunate and puzzling that a local business organization, the Ardmore Business Association, is not in support of your rights to enjoy personal property, business leases and other assets. A recent newsletter of the grop boasts that it, "...will continue to actively support this [Gateway] project." This is not supoort of the business community. This is style over substance. The past history of the leadership of that group should be evaluated carefully.

A negative outcome in Ardmore will reverberate far beyond the municipal limits of one township. It will add precedence for misuse of eminent domain throughout the region and the nation. It is for that reason that Ardmore has been so prominently featured in the national publics in this matter. You are in the forefront of a very important issue that can impact all of our businesses, homes and confidence in the credibility of asset ownership.

We are reaching out to many business organizations iin the region to support the defeat of eminent domain abuse in Ardmore. I urge you to go online to www.mbainc.org and download the 8.5" x 11" poster and display it in your place of business and your home. We urge you to confront your local business organization and ask for facts, not theories that support destroying nine local businesses. If it is allowed to happen to them, it can happen to you.

Vague promises of a larger tax base and more patrons on Lancaster Avenue can easily be negated when a town's leadership gets a national reputation for "smash and grab". MBA, for example, makes recommendations to businesses throughout the nation who are considering relocation. It will now have to consider adding all of Lower Merion Township to its list of anti-business communities.

Every town should be continually trying to improve itself, but we oppose the efforts of any group of leaders or businesses to determine that the property of other is blighted when that is clearly not the case. The Urban Land Institute has reported that, "The current condition of some of the buildings in the historic district does not suggest to the panel that there is a need to demolish these buildings...". (Emphasis added)

Every one of us should be asking critical questions about the money trail. We all need to know if any of the businesses, township officials, or others who support abusive eminent domain have personal interests or clients who gain from the money to be made from the replacement of the existing businesses by other private sector businesses.

Suburban Square will not be going away, and it is less than frank to imply that new dwellings and some "other" businesses along Lancaster Avenue will help it share patronage wealth with the shopping center. Township officials and their staffs and publicists need to find other ways to keep people shopping on Lancaster Avenue without disrupting the lives of businesses and residents. The price of an asset--your business, your home--should be based on its value in the marketplace and not the ability of bureaucrats to diminish it through cynical interpretation of corrupt laws.

Please look for our newsletter and its commentary article which will be arriving at your businesses within a few days. Thank you for your support of the Save Ardmore Coalition and efforts to save the Ardmore business community.

Sincerely,

(signed)
Libby Beatty, Chair
MBA Board of Directors

Original letter - Page 1

Original letter - Page 2