wrong, wrong , wrong.. once again,,, don't u get tired of being an idiot? your credibility is zero -- the only people who believe what you say are the lamebrains on this forum,... you guys are like a cult -- i can;t waitfor u to drink the kool aid. lol
Smoking, I'd like to challenge you to provide facts that disprove what we say. Now, just remember to be sure to provide the proof, via official government records. What we provided about the lack of payment of taxes is from the OFFICIAL records with the county of Schenectady.
Now, can you provide any proof that taxes on homeowners has NOT risen since Metroplex?
We say that crime is skyrocketing. Can you provide proof to disprove that???? Children are getting killed in broad daylight in the residential neighborhoods in places where they should be able to play safely. Can you provide facts that disprove that??????
We say people are fleeing the city in droves. Can you provide facts that disprove that???? Can you provide links to government records showing that owner occupants are buying houses in the city in high numbers?
We say the number of vacant houses has skyrocketed since metroplex, would you care to provide proof to counter that, and show us official records of transfer of deeds?
Can you provide facts about people who have come to work in the city who also have incomes like $60,000 or more who are buying homes to actually live in in the city, like the high paid state employees, those high paid engineers at DOT, etc?
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.
SB obviously drinks the gazettos kool aid which is given out by the dem machine!
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
SB obviously drinks the gazettos kool aid which is given out by the dem machine!
I think SB is DV....i.e., DV sees that he's the only one speaking in favor of the socialist team so he creates another name with the same viewpoint
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.
He's obviously a County employee or some dupe for Death Ray. Probably wrote that fax that has started a tidal wave of laughter. The jig is up and everyone knows it. Now even at City Council meetings taxpayers are ripping on Metrograft. Finally sheeple are putting 2 and 2 together. They don't pay-you pay for them.
MC--I support the socialist team and I AM NOT DVR. I just have a different philosophy than you. BT--I believe you not only drink the kool-aid--you make it.
MC--I support the socialist team and I AM NOT DVR. I just have a different philosophy than you. BT--I believe you not only drink the kool-aid--you make it.
Sweetie, if I made the kool aid, bleeding heart, tax robbing, government controlling, marxist, nazi, liberal socialism would not exist....k?
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
Tax breaks bring business, but can cities still afford them? At a time of concern over budgets, some question payments in lieu of taxes By Lauren Stanforth Staff Writer Published 12:25 a.m., Monday, March 7, 2011
SCHENECTADY -- The redevelopment of Center City -- one of downtown's largest pieces of real estate -- has certainly spruced up the city's main thoroughfare.
The former sports and office complex, previously a place where vagrants slept, is the gleaming new home of the YMCA, NBT Bank and MVP Health Care.
The building's assessment has more than doubled to $6.3 million. But instead of paying the full county, school and city property tax tab of $256,000, its developer, Galesi Group, pays about $100,000 less through a PILOT -- a payment in lieu of taxes -- granted by the Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority. Center City is one of several buildings in the redeveloped section of State Street that enjoy PILOTs.
PILOTs are a tried-and-true lure for developers. But taxpayers are not always thrilled with the deals made. Critics balked in 2009 when the Troy Industrial Development Authority gave Dinosaur Bar-B-Que an exemption on property taxes for 20 years and $350,000 to fix a River Street building up. The simmering debate over whether such subsidies are too sweet has reignited at a time when cities and school districts face big budget deficits and homeowners continue to be burdened by high property taxes.
On the same revived block as Center City, eight other properties worth $26.8 million would be taxed $1.1 million without exemptions. Their PILOTs this year total $407,180.
Albany restaurateur Matt Baumgartner said he was looking at Troy and Saratoga Springs to build another Bombers Burrito Bar. But Schenectady offered the best "package," he said, with an $8,407 PILOT the first year and a grant for building improvements.
All cities are competing for business, and "it's like if you're looking for a car. You're looking for the best deal," said Baumgartner, who opened his eatery at 447 State St. in 2009.
Four other buildings on State Street are tax-exempt because they are part of Proctors, a nonprofit arts organization. The landmark theater's expansion has transformed the former Carl Co. department store into the GE Theatre, and what recently was a Key Bank branch is now a catering hall.
Orchestrators of Schenectady's resurgence say most of the upgraded buildings were previously of little value, or they were owned by the city and county IDA and generated no revenue.
Following information requests from the Times Union and what Metroplex said were inquiries from bloggers, the authority released a statement Feb. 16 boasting about the success of 40 current PILOTs in attracting investment, creating jobs and eradicating blight. While more people now work downtown, Metroplex has never detailed how many have arrived as a result of its funding.
As far as property taxes, Metroplex Chairman Ray Gillen said that before Center City came alive again, it was paying only a $10,000 PILOT. In another Galesi development, offices of the state Commission on Quality Care at 409 State St. once paid only $9,380 in taxes for the vacant building, Gillen said. Now, its PILOT provides $33,000 to municipal and school coffers.
"In every case, they're paying more than what they were paying before," said City Council President Gary McCarthy, who is on the Metroplex board. "Now you've got nice buildings. We've eliminated blight and added jobs."
Metroplex, which also manages the county and city IDAs, receives one-half of 1 percent of the county's sales tax to fund development efforts, which involve buying property, giving out grants, loans and PILOTs, and applying to state agencies for grants on behalf of local businesses. PILOTs, which are split between local governments and school districts, end after a limited number of years, depending on the deal.
Metroplex recently took over the former Foster Hotel, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and two adjacent structures in the 500 block of State Street and is seeking a developer that will no doubt be offered a PILOT too.
Amid all the bounty on State Street, there are a few business owners who still get their full property tax bills. Mohammad Bhatti has run a convenience store on State Street for 20 years, and he's seen downtown's drastic changes, from when Woolworth's was bustling and the new Bowtie Cinema was just a dusty lot. On the most recent assessment available, the bill for his building is $5,300 a year.
Bhatti said he received a facade grant from Metroplex to redo his building's front, but he still feels like a tiny cog in a machine that rewards a privileged few.
"It's very hard to survive," said Bhatti. "But the big people get an advantage."..............................>>>>.................>>>>.......................................Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/defa.....81.php#ixzz1Fv07lY3a
Where is Smoking/DVR this morning? Quote of the week from Bhatti; "It's very hard to survive. But the big people get an advantage." Amen from the oppressed County taxpayers. No wonder our County taxes are 3X Saratoga County.
A total vindication. A handful of DEM connected developers/millionaires/nonprofits get all the goodies. While small businesses and residents pay the freight. Now go the next step.
McCarthy said that the Plex has "eliminated blight and created jobs"...really? Have you been to Bellevue, MP or the Hill lately. Don't worry, they blight will be coming to the 'safer' neighborhoods soon.
The blight has been moved around. Pushed from Proctor's to lower State. Hamilton Hill has exploded across State, into Mt Pleasant and up Eastern Avenue.
"Created jobs"? Where? Increasing sales taxes never increased jobs. That's why Schenectady County has the highest unemployment rate in the Capital District. That's why Translation Services moved to Cohoes with 120 high paying jobs. In the Proctor's Playbill Landslide Savage now claims 3,500 new jobs! Every time these DEM morons speak they create another 1,000 jobs-meanwhile the unemployment rate stays higher than all surrounding counties.
It's right out of their hand book, keep telling the same lies enough times and hope some of the sheeple believe it. It's hard to justify wasting millions of dollars of taxpayer money with nothing to show for it.
Tax breaks bring business, but can cities still afford them? At a time of concern over budgets, some question payments in lieu of taxes By Lauren Stanforth Staff Writer Published 12:25 a.m., Monday, March 7, 2011
Following information requests from the Times Union and what Metroplex said were inquiries from bloggers
Those pesky BLOGGERS AGAIN? The keyboard is mightier than the sword. How dare you CONS bloggers continue to demand accountability and transparency from pathetic Metrograft? Death Ray has repeatedly stated that he created many jobs Downtown. That should be enough for yous.
Critics balked in 2009 when the Troy Industrial Development Authority gave Dinosaur Bar-B-Que an exemption on property taxes for 20 years and $350,000 to fix a River Street building up. The simmering debate over whether such subsidies are too sweet has reignited at a time when cities and school districts face big budget deficits and homeowners continue to be burdened by high property taxes.
I found it most amusing that Schenectady was being aligned with TROY-LET!!!! Not Saratoga....Not Clifton Park.....Not Malta..............but TROY-LET!!!!!!
The plex is clearly an experiment, that was mis-guided and has failed!! Abolish the beast!!
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
I was rather disappointed in this story. THe headline questioned the ability to pay for the tax breaks. But the story didn't go into detail on it. Other than that one downtown little business who said he pays $5,300 in taxes, there was no real story on how it affects the people. Also it mentioned the PILOT amounts and how they would be increasing. However, what is a necessity is to show, now the amount of the assessment exemption, but the amount of FULL taxes that should be getting paid.
And then, what should have been included is to show how much more city residents' tax bills have increased since Metroplex. How can anything be good if tax bills double while your income stays stagnant generally? The story should have also provided information about the numbers of vacant houses in the city before Metroplex and how many vacant houses since Metroplex. And information about how Metroplex caused Stratton to add a trash fee to the residents of the city. And how about the crime rate since Metroplex. And the story should have included information about what the household incomes were before Metroplex and currently. Information like this would provide the undisputable truth --- that Metroplex has done NOTHING for the city, the ONLY thing it has done is make millionaires richer
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.
Logged
He's obviously a County employee or some dupe for Death Ray. Probably wrote that fax that has started a tidal wave of laughter. The jig is up and everyone knows it. Now even at City Council meetings taxpayers are ripping on Metrograft. Finally sheeple are putting 2 and 2 together. They don't pay-you pay for them.
Where is Smoking/DVR this morning? Quote of the week from Bhatti; "It's very hard to survive. But the big people get an advantage." Amen from the oppressed County taxpayers. No wonder our County taxes are 3X Saratoga County.
