Valley Governments Move Toward Tax Abatements

After months of battling foes on the County Board of Supervisors over a series of local laws intended to attract first time homebuyers and encourage residential repairs in the Town of Schoharie through the use of exemptions, Supervisor Gene Milone's tax abatements are starting to gain traction across the Schoharie Valley.

Spurred by the recently re-elected Schoharie town supervisor's proposal to implement countywide tax abatements at the organizational meeting, both the Town Board of Blenheim and the Village Board of Schoharie unanimously adopted their own form of the assessment exemptions. Town Supervisor Jim Buzon also pitched the idea to Middleburgh board members at their January meeting.

The recent burst of momentum for tax abatements bodes well for Mr. Milone, who can now count at least 25% of the board of supervisors weighted vote behind his proposal. It remains to be seen whether more valley governments effected by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee consider the exemptions as a worthwhile means of revitalizing their communities.

However, not everyone is on board. Carlisle Town Supervisor Larry Bradt spoke strongly against the principle of tax abatements earlier this month, arguing that there is a hidden cost to these exemptions that will leave non-qualified homeowners with the bill, a position Mr. Milone has gone to pains to disavow.

Regardless of how the county board decides to act, there is definitely a movement toward granting these exemptions in an attempt to not only attract new residents into the valley communities, but to also continue rebuilding their homes and neighborhoods to place the tragic events of August 2011 behind them.