SCHENECTADY Unpaid tax law in the works Change to shift burden to county BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
The City Council is poised to approve an amendment to the City Charter that will transfer approximately $1.5 million in delinquent tax liabilities to the county. The charter change would remove the legal requirement that the city make the county whole for uncollected state and county taxes from city residents during any month. Instead, the city would pay the county only what it has collected on the last day of each month. Delinquent county taxes total approximately $1.5 million annually. The amendment does not require approval by the state Legislature. The change affects a 1906 provision in the charter that council members said the city can no longer afford to honor. “It would be great for the city’s finances if this could be accomplished. Every million dollars counts on a $76 million budget,” said council member Barbara Blanchard. The city also wants to absolve itself of having to make the city school district whole for school taxes, but that change does require approval by the state Legislature. This obligation totals approximately $3.5 million annually. The council held a public hearing on the county transfer amendment Monday night. No one from the public spoke. Corporation Counsel L. John Van Norden said the council could adopt the amendment at its July 11 meeting. Acting Mayor Gary McCarthy said the amendment has support on the council. “The council will adopt it while we continue to negotiate with the county and school district,” he said. “The county would be responsible for collecting its own taxes. We would work out an arrangement where instead of holding them harmless, we would pay them as we collect it.” McCarthy said the county would have to budget for the uncollected taxes. County officials were not available for comment. If the charter change is approved, city residents could see a decrease in their tax bills, provided all things remain the same. At the same time, residents of Schenectady County as a whole would become responsible for paying the city’s delinquent taxes, although this liability would be spread over a broader base, according to Blanchard. ....................>>>>.................>>>>........................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01102&AppName=1
Some how this doesn't seem moral or legal to shift all the debt the city incurred to the county. It would be great for the cities finances said Baba B. What about the finances of the towns and county who get to pay that huge debt?
WOW............somehow, someway the city will pass it's irresponsible fiscal condition on the rest of the county!!
The town folk better start screaming to their county leg representative!!!
This is bullcrap!!!
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
Instead of paying the County BA-BA wants to hot potato bad debts? Rotsa Ruck collecting stale claims. Another example of DEM working together works to shift more of the burden to suburban taxpayers. Keep voting for the DEM implosion team.
WOW............somehow, someway the city will pass it's irresponsible fiscal condition on the rest of the county!! The town folk better start screaming to their county leg representative!!!This is bullcrap!!!
It's DEM working together works! Acting "McCarthy said the City needs to take action because it has a cash flow problem"? The highest taxed City can't pay the school nor County bill. The City that's taxes are $10 per thousand HIGHER than the second highest taxed City can't fix it's roads or keep polls open. Keep voting for non profit leaders for City offices.
The City DEM morons raised taxes so high nobody can pay and no one will move into the City. So the answer? Not cut record property taxes but to stiff the schools and County taxpayers. Pass the rot. The County already has a record deficit BEFORE building a new County Home.
The County was not available for comment? Where is County "leader" Judy DAG on this? Where is the silent County Manager? Does she still support building a County Home at any price? Some of us remember when we has a County Manager who was a fiscal CONS. The entire County is in fiscal collapse because of these nit wit plans and schemes.
The 'do nothing' county leg should be abolished and only to be replaced by a board of supervisors!!
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
They have taken a page from the shared services plan (consolidated dispatch plan) and applied it to this shared debt plan. They must feel that such a large amount dissipated over a vast area will not be so noticable. But regardless of the amount it's the principal of the act that is more questionable. This likely opens the door for future considerations to do this again and again. With the influx of all that Plex $$$ you would think the city would of prospered enough by now and would be able to make their bills. After all was it not one of the prime reasons all that $$$ was put into downtown? To make an attractive city center that would induce home purchasing here. Obviously that is not what lures a potential buyer the most. It's the taxes, school district and Police force. And considering all of the recent issues regarding all of these aforementioned examples it's little wonder why sales continue to lag The town/county taxpayers should be soon paying a visit to the mthly. Leg. meeting on this issue. For once the door has been opened who knows when it will close. Possibly the town/county taxpayers will be afforded a 10% Proctors discount pass for their "contribution".
WOW............somehow, someway the city will pass it's irresponsible fiscal condition on the rest of the county!!
The town folk better start screaming to their county leg representative!!!
This is bullcrap!!!
Scream to our County Leg.???? They are full speed ahead for consolidation, they probably couldn't be happier. Keep piling on the straws until you break the camel's back!
How does this DEM "plan" help either the schools or the County? Not one voice from the County in opposition to passing the buck to County residents. Further evidence of the collapse of the City under the burden of DEM record taxation. Can't sell so flee without the City assessor on your back.
It's now so pathetic that the City DEMS can't even pay their own bills. Thank you Death Ray! Thank you Mercury Morris! Thank you DSIC! Maybe we can end the horrible DSIC and pay the City schools? NO! That wouldn't be reasonable. The deal is the most important thing. We must keep the double taxation on Downtown business people. This deficit will be made up by County taxpayers who are looking at $9 MILLION more a year in taxes with SS Savage's nursing home debacle.
I wonder if this will be the Lady Gagastino legacy?
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
Okay....so here is the test for district 4!!! Holly V is 'suppose' to be representing district 4, correct? And she is 'suppose' to be real conservative, correct? Then all district 4 folks should start calling and emailing her with their concerns!! Let's see what she's made of!!! holly.vellano@schenectadycounty.com (51 388-4280
Hell, call and email them all!!! judy.dagostino@schenectadycounty.com angelo.santabarbara@schenectadycounty.com anthony.jasenski@schenectadycounty.com
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
See, the county will not be sharing the city's tax burden. Actually, the city has paid for the county's tax burden.
The reason for this is that the city has been the tax collector for other taxing entities so it seems like it is something it isn't.
If I own property in the city, then the city charges a tax on me, the county charges a tax on me, and the school district charges a tax on me. It merely happens that the city is the collector of the taxes. If I dont' write out the check and sent it to the city, I am, in effect, failing to pay my county tax bill. Why should the county get my tax dollars if I don't pay them?
It would probably be much easier for eveyone to understand if we eliminated the consolidation of the tax collection, the consolidation that has been in effect for as long as I can remember. Instead, have a tax collection office in the city for the city tax bill, have a tax collection office in the county for the county tax bill, and a tax collection office in the school district for the school district tax bills. Then, if city homeowners wish to pay their county tax bill, they can, while at the same time they can choose not to pay the city.
Consider this, separate legislative bodies determine the tax levy for each of their respective municipalities, they each establish their own budgets, their reps are elected separately from each other, when we get into talking towns and such, they have their own assessors, the state sets separate equalization rates, etc.
So keep the taxing separate. Yes?
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
Instead of paying the County BA-BA wants to hot potato bad debts? Rotsa Ruck collecting stale claims. Another example of DEM working together works to shift more of the burden to suburban taxpayers. Keep voting for the DEM implosion team.
It's DEM working together works! Acting "McCarthy said the City needs to take action because it has a cash flow problem"? The highest taxed City can't pay the school nor County bill. The City that's taxes are $10 per thousand HIGHER than the second highest taxed City can't fix it's roads or keep polls open. Keep voting for non profit leaders for City offices. 
