Just a thought.   If at foreclosure time of up to 700, (oreven if it's only say 200 actual possessions when all is said/done) tax owed properties, with the City taking possession of said property, will this promote a hiring frenzy of new hires/private contractors?  The reason being is once the city does take possession they are resp. for the maint. (lawns/snow etc.), any boarding up, related security (copper pipe theft prevention), heating, and the like.   The city cannot very well pass this expense onto the prev. owner as they are walking away from the whole bill by letting the prop. lapse into foreclosure.   Either way it comes back to the resp. home owner/tax payer to pick up the slack.   The prev. taxes owed go uncollected and a new money pit is created once the city takes possession.   And once the takeover takes place who will want them given the condition of many of them.   The city now only has a limited budget to demolish the blight each year.   Talk about a lose-lose.  

Quoted from Mr. Majestyk

Just a thought.   If at foreclosure time of up to   ....   Talk about a lose-lose.  

Of course you DO know that the dems will just raise taxes on the homeowners left behind.

The dems just do NOT know who to lead this city.  

It's a never ending cycle   Spend taxpayers' money on downtown to supposedly improve the city.   But the spending on down only increases taxes on the homeowners.   As the taxes rise, put their homes up for sale.   The dem leaders notice this, but they do not do anything to cut spending.  And the taxes rise more.  And more homeowners sell but sell to the big absentee landlords because those were the people interested in buying and they would buy cheap and they fail to maintain their properties, and so the city dem team decides to enforce codes, but instead of going after the big time landlords, the city goes after the remaining homeowners who are already paying high taxes and now are ordered to make repairs---not that they didn't want to in the first place, they just didn't have the money.  So now some homeowners have to take out loans to fix up their houses to avoid the financial penalties.   But the big time absentee landlords are still let off the hook (and these big time landlords are collecting rents and not paying property taxes and when push comes to shove, they hire attorneys to someone get them off the hook, I mean, how else do the Popolizio-types get away with not paying taxes for 10 years, and not maintain insurance, and they still own their houses in the city and are buying more---how else does that happen?), but the average owner occupant homeowner spends the money.   But as the absentee owners don't pay up and as the dem leaders continue to give out tax exemptions to the wealthy downtown property owners, and as the city allows the privileged to have two STAR exemptions, the rest of the homeowners have to make up the difference.  And the dem leaders' decisions are bringing down home values even more, and more people put their homes up for sale, guaranteed some who bought their homes 10 years ago will sell today for less than they bought for 10 years ago--hopefully the payoff balance is lower than the price they wind up selling for.  And then the dem leaders come up with this lame brain scheme to have bus tours of houses that are for sale and say that buyers can get mortgages for far more than the value of the house--yeah, those of us who are intelligent know what that leads to.   And all this is leading to property values plummeting more.  And because the dems use puppets on the assessment board who deny grievances, that leads to additional level reduction decisions to the point where, as is the case now, the city is being sued by many and every council meeting now they have to vote to settle because the dems KNOW FULL WELL THAT THE CITY WILL LOSE IN COURT!   And with all the poor leadership of the city dems, home values are going down even more, and as more people win reductions at other levels, that brings the TAXABLE assessment value down which causes the tax  rate to rise.   But because the city refuses to reassess the whole city, those homeowners who win reductions will pay less and those homeowners who didn't grieve will make up the difference and pay higher taxes.   And even higher taxes leads to more reduction in property values and more people put their homes up for sale.

And the cycle continues on and on and on and on.   But despite that, the dem leaders in the city REFUSE to put the downtown properties back on the tax rolls!  And the cycle will continue on and on and on until McC and the dem council are gone.  

Schenectady is a lose-lose. McCheese lacks the ability to turn his mess around. Most of these foreclosures are knock downs. Take another look at Congress St, Duane Ave or Broadway around the liquor store. Dozens of collapsing hulks with no value whatsoever. Except in delusions at the assessor's office. Got sufficient evidence? lol Once the City knocks it down it's permanently off the tax rolls. Like Proctor's block Downtown. Instead of trying to expand the tax base the DEM implosion crew keeps making fewer and fewer pay more and more. What is happening now in Scranton, PA has to happen in Schenectady. Should have been done long ago.  

One has to truly consider this belief that the formula for a $ solution will only come if pension funds, the threat of layoffs, and a raise freeze are threatened.   And then the formula would only be implemented to rescue these entities to keep funding the same.   But it should come now to offer relief to the homeowners in tax relief.   It seems(?) any and all savings/income is earmarked for these considerations over other priorities.   Correct me if I'm wrong.   As an aside this past week on The McLaughlin Report on PBS was stated that in addition to Stockton, CA. impending bankruptcy, one of the guests stated Detroit, Mich. was next in line for a filing.

Quoted from benny salami

Schenectady is a lose-lose. McCheese lacks the ability to turn his mess around. Most of these foreclosures are knock downs. Take another look at Congress St, Duane Ave or Broadway around the liquor store. Dozens of collapsing hulks with no value whatsoever. Except in delusions at the assessor's office. Got sufficient evidence? lol Once the City knocks it down it's permanently off the tax rolls. Like Proctor's block Downtown. Instead of trying to expand the tax base the DEM implosion crew keeps making fewer and fewer pay more and more. What is happening now in Scranton, PA has to happen in Schenectady. Should have been done long ago.  

Not only Scranton,PA.   According to the LA Times and Huffington Post San Bernadino,CA. (POP. 209,000) yesterday filed for bankruptcy, Chap.9.   They only have $150,000.00 in their bank acct.    Quote"The city's fiscal crisis has been years in the making compounded by the nations crushing recession and exacerbated by escalating pension costs, lucrative labor agreements, Sacremento's raid on redevelopment funds, and a city reserve that is tapped out".    Sounds all too familiar.  They are the 3rd CA. city to file. Stockton and Mammoth Lakes being the other two.

The only real answer to the structural budget problems in not only Schenectady but every city in New York State and every municipality ... and every county.   Is to sit down and rewrite the state laws regarding Counties and Municipal Government  (eliminate villages, create broader "regional governments", etc).   Then implement the new laws by replacing the existing  19th century system of county and municipal government with a 21st century system of local/regional government.

Until that is done, the rest of the high tax debate is just a bunch of babbling and the "solutions" offered nothing more than putting a wad of bubble gum in a hole in a leaking dam.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

The only real answer to the structural budget problems in not only Schenectady but every city in New York State and every municipality ... and every county.   Is to sit down and rewrite the state laws regarding Counties and Municipal Government  (eliminate villages, create broader "regional governments", etc).   Then implement the new laws by replacing the existing  19th century system of county and municipal government with a 21st century system of local/regional government.

Until that is done, the rest of the high tax debate is just a bunch of babbling and the "solutions" offered nothing more than putting a wad of bubble gum in a hole in a leaking dam.

What, so all the cops from the current towns run into the current city and leave the town areas unattended?   And again, since you don't pay taxes you don't know what we pay, but because I am knowledgeable and intelligent in the area of property taxes, and I understand it, I can tell you that all the numbers of an otherwise comparable house in the city would pay double the taxes that we pay in Rotterdam and we have more amenities, while at the same time the value of the house is much less than ours.  

To merge would mean we in the towns would have our taxes raised in order to subsidize the city areas

No, what is needed is for the city leaders to stop the uncontrolled spending, stop the useless projects like trying to make Erie Blvd appear to have lots of traffic by narrowing it to create traffic bottlenecks, just like State St is only a two land road.  Stop the tax exemptions to the downtown businesses, downtown businesses need to make it on their own just like the homeowners.  Get rid of the cars for city employees, mandate that all city employees live IN the city and pay the same taxes as the homeowner/taxpayers so that the employees will have a vested interest in reducing expenses.  Go after the big time absentee landlords.  Eliminate metroplex and all those other government committees/agencies that own and dole out tax exemptions to the rich and politically connected.  And to save tens of millons---privatize the nursing home; I used to be rather in favor of the county nursing home because I wondered about the indigent, but the fact is that the indigent are indeed accepted into privately run nursing homes.

Quoted from mikechristine1

What, so all the cops from the current towns run into the current city and leave the town areas unattended?   And again, since you don't pay taxes you don't know what we pay, but because I am knowledgeable and intelligent in the area of property taxes, and I understand it, I can tell you that all the numbers of an otherwise comparable house in the city would pay double the taxes that we pay in Rotterdam and we have more amenities, while at the same time the value of the house is much less than ours.  

To merge would mean we in the towns would have our taxes raised in order to subsidize the city areas

No, what is needed is for the city leaders to stop the uncontrolled spending, stop the useless projects like trying to make Erie Blvd appear to have lots of traffic by narrowing it to create traffic bottlenecks, just like State St is only a two land road.  Stop the tax exemptions to the downtown businesses, downtown businesses need to make it on their own just like the homeowners.  Get rid of the cars for city employees, mandate that all city employees live IN the city and pay the same taxes as the homeowner/taxpayers so that the employees will have a vested interest in reducing expenses.  Go after the big time absentee landlords.  Eliminate metroplex and all those other government committees/agencies that own and dole out tax exemptions to the rich and politically connected.  And to save tens of millons---privatize the nursing home; I used to be rather in favor of the county nursing home because I wondered about the indigent, but the fact is that the indigent are indeed accepted into privately run nursing homes.

Austerity budget time.

AUSTERITY.....

Austerity budgets will only go so far since many of the services provided by a city or town are mandated by state law.  

The only way to resolve the ongoing STRUCTURAL fiscal problems in our counties, municipalities and other taxing districts (including school districts) is to fundamentally reform how we deliver these services.  Replacing the 19th century revenue collection and service delivery system (cities, towns, villages, counties, etc.) with a 21st century revenue collection and service delivery system is essential.

Counties, cities, towns, villages, school districts and other taxing districts are merely creations of the state legislature and governor to provide for service delivery.  New York State has redrawn, erased and modified county and municipal lines in the past.   Albany County used to include Schenectady County and Saratoga County in the 18th and early 19th centuries .. and Tryon County went from Amsterdam west to the Great Lakes and northwest to the Canadian border.   Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island were separate municipalities before being merged (unilaterally by the state legislature and governor) into the modern-day boundaries of New York City.  The villages of Scotia and Delanson did not exist as separate entities until the early 20th century.    
Changes were made in the past because the old boundaries and old system of revenue collection and delivery of services was not working and/or to reflect population shifts and/or numerous other factors.  The time has long past for the state legislature and governor to take bold action, throw out the obsolete 19th century system and replace it with something that will work in the 21st century.

mandation of certain services is one thing...but extortion is another....

GET OFF MY BACK

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Austerity .....    replace it with something that will work in the 21st century.

In other words, do anything as long as millionaires downtown are exempt from paying taxes.  

Listen, since you do NOT own property and never have, and thus do NOT pay taxes and never have, you know NOTHING.   The city provided far more services in the past than it does today for much more modest taxes.  

Other local cities CAN AND DO provide far more services to taxpayers than Schenectady does.   Hell, even Albany which has a lot more tax exempt property provides much better snow plowing than Schenectady.   And houses in Albany have lower taxes and higher property values than Schenectady!!!!!!

YOUR DEMS in Schenectady REFUSE to make the new downtown property owners pay taxes and it is hurting the homeowners big time---and since you have never owned a home and paid taxes then you have no clue what it's like to struggle like the people in Schenectady.   (Hell, look at you, no worry about paying a mortgage, no worrying about paying the utility bill, no worrying about supporting a wife, no worry about having to feed children while saving for their college, instead you live with your two mommies who are mortgage free and have a very very high income---one lavish pension on the backs of the taxpayers; and you can continue to act like a little child, not even adult enough to live on your own)   But back on Schenectady, YOUR DEMS REFUSE to make the employees live in Schenectady----WHY NOT????????.   And taxpayers footing the bill for open house tours - that is TOTALLY RIDICULOUS.  

In Schenectady there is no accountability.   Where is the report about the houses in McC's program that have sold?    Huh?????   How many have sold and for how much, and how much was the mortgage.   How much was the appraisal compared to what the city said is the value?     Where's the documentation of mileage of all the city cars driven outside the city on the daily pleasure dives?  

Why is McC still going to make the homeowners pay the costs of all those cars taken on daily pleasure drives far outside the city?    Huh?    How about it DV?    Can you answer that??????

Other cities are seeing their property values increasing, Schenectady property values are decreasing, services are decreasing and taxes almost the highest in the whole country.  

DV, you are just so trying to brown nose your dems so much that you want to make the people in the surrounding municipalities pay for the failures of the Schenectady dems!!!!!!!!!!  


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Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Austerity budgets will only go so far since many of the services provided by a city or town are mandated by state law.  

Really, corporate welfare and tax exemptions  for the Metroplex/ Galesi group are mandated?

Quoted Text

Austerity budgets will only go so far since many of the services provided by a city or town are mandated by state law.  

austerity makes leaders who are up for votes stand the line of future planning/paying.....pushing public payment out
to future pensions/healthcare is a FALSE budget, placed upon the backs of future generations without future knowledge....

it's obfuscation at the highest level....ALL FOR VOTES.....

Quoted from Libertarian4life

Really, corporate welfare and tax exemptions  for the Metroplex/ Galesi group are mandated?

You really need to actually read what is written and stop trying to lie or distort things.  I stated that municipalities are mandated to  deliver of certain services.   I did not say which were mandated.   I could spend the time to post which services are mandated and  which services are authorized (but not mandated) -- but I will not.  The state code is available online and at the public library if you care to educate yourself on the subject.

As I was raising the issue of reforming county and municipal governments across the board in New York State, I was not just speaking about Schenectady County and its municipalities.   Entities like Metroplex are authorized but not mandated by state law.   And - in my opinion when we have the discussion and draft the legislation to abolish the 19th century system  of counties-cities-towns-villages that we currently live under and replace it with a streamlined, cost effective, efficient 21st century system, the continued existence of entities like Metroplex and other authorities and special taxing districts would be included in the discussion.  
Personally, I would like to see the laws changed so that a county (or one day the "regional government entity")  would not need a separate Metroplex entity with a separate board -- but that all of the decisions would be made by the DIRECTLY ELECTED  County Board or Legislature  (or the board/legislature of whatever the new regional entity is).