At public comment on Oct. 9, Rick Yentzer, a local author and journalist, urged Delaware County officials to emphasize job creation and economic development rather than using redevelopment resources for nonprofit services.

Yentzer said redevelopment historically focused on business attraction and jobs and argued county resources should prioritize taxable development. He criticized using tax-increment financing and redevelopment funds for nonprofits, education and public safety, saying such shifts reduce the tax base and place pressure on public services.

He also warned about the county’s capacity to support large projects, raised concerns about property tax relief reducing the taxable base and cautioned about long-term resource pressures from data centers and large energy users. His remarks were delivered during the public-comments portion of the Redevelopment Commission meeting; commissioners did not provide substantive responses during the meeting.