NEWS
Opinion Tax Credit a Winner in Schoharie
SCHOHARIE - The Cobleskill paper appears to be on track for another editorial that misses the mark. There has been a bit of obvious axe-grinding occurring slamming County Treasurer Bill Cherry and Schoharie Supervisor Gene Milone over the last months. Their supposed misdeeds included Mr. Cherry aiding the taxpayers of the County by assisting in the caucus defeat of Dan Singletary... and Mr. Milone?
Well, Mr. Poole doesn't seem to like much of anything Gene Milone has been doing as of late. Let's take the latest example. The Schoharie Town Board, led by Mr. Milone has just passed a law giving tax breaks for new home construction or on expansions for homes or businesses.
The Cobleskill paper implies that the Town Board has put the residents of Schoharie-- many of whom are victims of Irene-- on the hook. "It’s the longstanding homeowners and businesses who’ve stuck by Schoharie for years. . .and also hung in there after Irene" This may be a decent point except it misses (seemingly intentionally) the biggest point altogether. Nothing in the Town Board's proposal actually reduces the tax burden of existing homes or increases it on flood victims. The new house construction would instead add to the tax levels. Even several new homes paying half of a tax bill makes a nice dent considering communities like the Village of Schoharie lost over 60% of its assessed value. For homes with additions the cost will also not fall on the taxpayer. If the tax credit is the driving force between adding an addition or not then any revenue that is brought in is found money.
The paper also questions the timing of the law. Of course, the law was not even discussed in the Spring, which totally demolishes the argument that it is an election day ploy. And for a municipality that operates on a calendar year budget the timing of the law makes total sense. A fiscal-year budget running June to June would need a spring passage-- not the Town of Schoharie. If Mr. Milone or one of the council members got the idea in August or September should they put off a money-saving idea until after the election-- and too late to get it ready for the next round of tax collection?
We are as confused as the Cobleskill paper paints itself as. As with any law there are imperfections but Mr. Milone and the Town Board of Schoharie have hit a winning idea. Maybe it's not time for any editorials to squash a community's effort to rebuilt itself.
Well, Mr. Poole doesn't seem to like much of anything Gene Milone has been doing as of late. Let's take the latest example. The Schoharie Town Board, led by Mr. Milone has just passed a law giving tax breaks for new home construction or on expansions for homes or businesses.
The Cobleskill paper implies that the Town Board has put the residents of Schoharie-- many of whom are victims of Irene-- on the hook. "It’s the longstanding homeowners and businesses who’ve stuck by Schoharie for years. . .and also hung in there after Irene" This may be a decent point except it misses (seemingly intentionally) the biggest point altogether. Nothing in the Town Board's proposal actually reduces the tax burden of existing homes or increases it on flood victims. The new house construction would instead add to the tax levels. Even several new homes paying half of a tax bill makes a nice dent considering communities like the Village of Schoharie lost over 60% of its assessed value. For homes with additions the cost will also not fall on the taxpayer. If the tax credit is the driving force between adding an addition or not then any revenue that is brought in is found money.
The paper also questions the timing of the law. Of course, the law was not even discussed in the Spring, which totally demolishes the argument that it is an election day ploy. And for a municipality that operates on a calendar year budget the timing of the law makes total sense. A fiscal-year budget running June to June would need a spring passage-- not the Town of Schoharie. If Mr. Milone or one of the council members got the idea in August or September should they put off a money-saving idea until after the election-- and too late to get it ready for the next round of tax collection?
We are as confused as the Cobleskill paper paints itself as. As with any law there are imperfections but Mr. Milone and the Town Board of Schoharie have hit a winning idea. Maybe it's not time for any editorials to squash a community's effort to rebuilt itself.