it dragged down land values and contributed little tax income to the city compared to the ~40 or so houses that are now replacing it. While those 40 homes lead

it dragged down land values and contributed little tax income to the city compared to the ~40 or so houses that are now replacing it. While those 40 homes lead to greater tax revenue, the amount of expense they demand is even greater. Anywhere I've lived, even sky-high property tax NJ, the property tax coming from a single home is rather less than the town is paying to educate a single child. So unless the average child density in that development is much less than 1 (say, 0.75 children per house), despite the town collecting more taxes, they'll be spending much more on schools, and it'll be a net loss. And that's before we consider the cost of other services at all...