People, the tax district would create a commission appointed at the pleasure of the town board. I don't know what country some of you were raised in to think that a referendum for a new tax would give the taxing entity free reign to boost those aforementioned receipts without SOME sort of authorization.
Now if memory serves correct, the commission would approve any tax increase or budget change, much like a board of fire commissioners. Only in this case, they will answer to the Town Board directly, and not the public. I wish I could be more clear on this, as what I've said here is only put together through months of listening and watching.
Weren't we supposed to get a letter explaining all this or something? Funny how the vote is two weeks away and I haven't seen jack...
You were supposed to have been informed in writing but you probably won't be until the day of the vote, if ever...as the Town Attorney has already been caught lying about the existence of this "letter"...you won't get the all of the relevant facts, some of potentially huge significance that are still unknown...and you certainly will not hear about proposed alternatives that could intercept this runaway train.
None of this should be surprising. As always, the whole idea is to keep as many as possible in the dark for as long as possible...preferrably until at least Dec. 15...as the pro-tax culprits have always known that among other things, too much information in the hands of too many voters not associated with the interested parties would put their tax dreams in peril.
You were supposed to have been informed in writing but you probably won't be until the day of the vote, if ever...as the Town Attorney has already been caught lying about the existence of this "letter"...you won't get the all of the relevant facts, some of potentially huge significance that are still unknown...and you certainly will not hear about proposed alternatives that could intercept this runaway train.
None of this should be surprising. As always, the whole idea is to keep as many as possible in the dark for as long as possible...preferrably until at least Dec. 15...as the pro-tax culprits have always known that among other things, too much information in the hands of too many voters not associated with the interested parties would put their tax dreams in peril.
this was from over a year ago. What was Suhrada thinking??? I thought he was a conservative business man.....no? I thought he was for less government if private business could provide the same service.....no? And what is this liberal babble fear rhetoric about people being 'without' ambulance service if rems aka taxing district doesn't exist? Is Suhrada saying that 'government can do it better than private business'? If a candy store went out of business, would the people be without candy forever?????? Perhaps the government could build and supply a better cheaper candy store at the taxpayers expense!! WTH was he thinking????? Mohawk = PRIVATE = NO TAXES rems = GOVERNMENT = MORE TAXES
ROTTERDAM TO HOLD EMS TAX VOTE (SCHENECTADY COUNTY, ROTTERDAM)
Posted on: 09/16/09 Jackie Sher email: news@spotlightnews.com
The future of emergency services in the Town of Rotterdam will be in the hands of residents.
A yet-to-be-scheduled vote will be held regarding the proposal to create an ambulance tax district. Voter approval would pave the way for continued service by Rotterdam EMS.
“The town will have a mandatory referendum affording all property owners the right to vote on the proposal to create an ambulance district for the Town of Rotterdam,” said Town Supervisor Steve Tommasone.
Prior to the vote, a public hearing will be held Wednesday, Sept. 23.
“People will come forth to speak out on it. It will be like a true Town Hall meeting to give their views to the town board,” said Schenectady County Legislator Joe Suhrada, R-Rotterdam, who is also running for a spot on the Rotterdam Town Board.
A final plan for the proposed taxing district was laid out at the Wednesday, Aug. 12, Rotterdam Town Board meeting. The plan would make REMS the primary EMS-ambulance provider for the town. The town is currently contracting with REMS for ambulance services and would establish a special assessment to provide funding for the service. The assessment would be based on property values throughout the town.
At the beginning of this year, there was some debate about whether to contract with the privately owned Mohawk Ambulance for emergency services or continue with the government-funded Rotterdam EMS. Staying with REMS involves the creation of a new taxing district, similar to ones used for the fire department and other public safety departments, while receiving services from Mohawk Ambulance Service would have no impact on taxpayers.
If the taxing district is voted down, according to Suhrada, there is a possibility of the town contracting with Kingsway Ambulance, “which would mean the ultimate demise of Rotterdam EMS.”
Under the proposal to be voted on in the coming weeks, if approved, REMS will provide services to all properties located within the current municipal boundaries, and would serve approximately 28,316 people.
REMS obtains revenue through a combination of fees and local tax revenue. According to the report presented Aug. 12, the total estimated income for REMS in 2010 will be approximately $425,536. The town will provide the remaining revenue for the service, which will be approximately $232,528. However, the cost is subject to negotiation and can be amended by the town as long as it is in accordance with the contract.
According to the 2009 Tax Roll Summary, the total assessed value of the property in the town is approximately $2.4 billion. Based on the annual cost of running REMS, a 10 cent per $1,000 rate would be established, meaning that the typical cost for a single family home of $165,000 would be $16.50 a year.
“No Rotterdam resident should be in a position where they can’t get an ambulance to come to their house,” said Suhrada. “I’m very hesitant to have any new tax, whether it’s 16 dollars or 160 dollars, but I don’t want us to lose ambulance coverage. There are plenty of other things that the county and schools spend money, and nobody complains about them, and they aren’t life saving.”
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Saying “no” can be helpful. It helps govern behavior and restrict excessive actions. For example, the words “shall not” appear four times in the Bill of Rights and nine times in the 10 Commandments. Parents know all about limiting the behavior of their children. Teachers try to instill self-discipline in their students. On Dec. 14, Rotterdam homeowners should say “no” to the expansion of government in our town by rejecting a call to establish a government-run ambulance company — especially when there are private companies ready, willing and able to provide services. We’ve heard that the projected tax increase is minuscule. This layer of government, like all others, will only grow over time. It will never sunset. Proponents are using fear tactics to advocate for higher taxes. Regarding their “Save our EMS!” claim, for example: Ambulance service is not threatened; government-run ambulance service might be, but not ambulance service. REMS [Rotterdam Emergency Medical Services] employees (many of whom moonlight for Mohawk Ambulance) will not lose their jobs. The town will not lose ambulance service. Another ambulance company will provide service to the town and will hire those workers. They will need them. This decision boils down to whether or not you want the government or a private company to get you to the hospital and if you want to pay for it by adding yet another layer of taxation. As nationally syndicated radio talk show host Dennis Prager says, “the bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.” Vote no on Dec. 14.
Rotterdam taxpayers should reject new REMS tax district BY CAROLINA M. LAZZARI For The Sunday Gazette
Carolina Lazzari lives in Schenectady. The Gazette encourages readers to submit material on local issues for the Sunday Opinion section.
More bad news for New Yorkers: New York’s business climate is now dead last after taking into account all its onerous taxes. October figures showed it edged out New Jersey for the dubious honor of highest property tax burden; state unemployment soared to 8.3 percent; foreclosures increased 30 percent between 2007 and 2009; Capital Region home sales fell 30 percent from last year; and New Yorkers’ 2009 per capita income declined for the first time in 70 years. Part of Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo’s plan to reverse these statistics includes incentives to reduce the number of special tax districts, most of which operate with little oversight and have long been acknowledged as a large contributor to New York’s dismal economic condition. So what better time for the Rotterdam Town Board to propose a double-digit tax hike and schedule a referendum to create a brand new taxing authority to fund Rotterdam Emergency Medical Services? SEEING MISMANAGEMENT REMS is the successor to the troubled White Eagle and Rotterdam Ambulance Services. While serving on the Town Board, I was assigned to the Emergency Services Committee, where I saw at firsthand the turf and fi nancial mismanagement issues that prevented them from succeeding individually or agreeing to reorganize as a new entity. At the time, it was hoped that if they could get to the point of dissolving into a new entity and start with a clean slate, potentially it could become viable. In 2001, the Town Board budgeted $90,000 to the services to facilitate progress. Responding to REMS’ continuing financial struggles, in 2008 the Tommasone administration conducted an independent audit of REMS to evaluate its fi nancial status. Auditors questioned REMS’ ability to continue as a going concern given findings of a half-million dollar operating defi cit and $325,000 in overdue payroll taxes, among other defi ciencies. Despite these fi ndings, the administration conducted a cursory feasibility study on creating a townwide ambulance taxing district. After attempting to impose it by board fiat instead of voter referendum, taxpayers revolted and voted in the DelGallo administration, which ran on an anti-tax platform. Like the administration before, this one too failed to exercise due diligence by not insisting on a new audit of REMS to prove its fi nancial health was what it claimed, prior to scheduling a costly special election. TAXPAYERS IN DARK All taxpayers have heard are assurances by self-interested parties that REMS finances are under control, but all they really know for sure is that in early 2010, two years after the last audit, REMS agreed to a payment plan with the IRS to settle $315,000 in unpaid liabilities, fines, etc. In REMS’ quest for permanent taxpayer funding, Joe Vanderworker promises, “there will be audits to keep us in line . . . and REMS welcomes an annual audit to assure residents that everything is in order.” That is, after taxpayers are on the hook. REMS has money to advertise, but no money to pay for an independent audit, one that might support — or disprove — its claim to achieving fi nancial stability. Taxpayers have been subjected to fear-mongering, and presented with a false choice between a REMS tax district and no or substandard emergency ambulance service. They have been told that tax rates should come down once new stateof-the-art ambulances and equipment needs are met. But what about the Taj Mahal of garage facility that will surely be needed to house them or proper meeting/training space for personnel? Has anyone ever heard of a taxing authority reducing taxes? On Dec. 14, taxpayers should have none of it.
Why are there signs in state right of way? Did they obtain permit from NYSDOT?
Such ultra pro REMS person such as DV, surely he could provide us the account numbers from DOT indicating the signs are legal, right DV? Otherwise, I believe DV should go around and remove the signs along state highways
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
Will the People's Gazette be coming out with a correction tomorrow? Last thing I knew, Ms. Lazzari and her family didn't live downtown. In fact, they live right in Rotterdam, you know, the town she represented sitting on the board and at the county legislature. That is, unless she has moved since I last spoke to her.
Will the People's Gazette be coming out with a correction tomorrow? Last thing I knew, Ms. Lazzari and her family didn't live downtown. In fact, they live right in Rotterdam, you know, the town she represented sitting on the board and at the county legislature. That is, unless she has moved since I last spoke to her.
Ya, look for that in a couple weeks, page d4, bottom, left hand corner.
Excellent article by Ms. Lazzari and Mr. McGarry!!!! And right on!!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
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