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Bloomfield Citizens Question Tax Plan for Niagara Water Bottling Plant

Connecticut Public Radio | By The Associated Press
Published March 17, 2016 at 9:53 AM EDT
Daniel Orth
/
Creative Commons
Bottled water.

Some residents say a Bloomfield attorney should have recused himself from offering the town legal advice on a tax abatement for a water bottling plant because he works for the water authority.

The Hartford Courant has reported that the group, BloomfieldCitizens.org, said Marc Needelman had a conflict of interest because he also works for the Metropolitan District Commission, which would be a major supplier to California-based Niagara Bottling.

The plant would pay the utility for the water it would bottle.

The town council approved a $4.9 million tax abatement in December.

Needelman said his relationship with the utility didn't affect his legal advice.

Bloomfield mayor Joan Gamble said the council knew Needelman's client list included the water authority and that it wasn't a problem to them.
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The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

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