NEWS
Village of Schoharie Approves Tax Abatements
SCHOHARIE -
Village of Schoharie officials made the case to a handful of residents on Tuesday evening for passing their own version of tax abatements to compliment the Town's controversial four local laws approved last year. Town Supervisor Gene Milone has since called for neighboring municipalities and even the entire county to adopt the targeted exemptions.
Mayor John Borst, who stressed the abatements were being implemented to, "try to revitalize the community," explained to the small audience that the laws would offer partial assessment exemptions to first-time and existing homebuyers for reconstruction efforts among other factors. Trustee Balliett concurred, arguing that there was no downside to abatements and that badly damaged homes could be fixed up. He would later go on to say, "God Bless anybody who could fix up these houses."
Board members unanimously supported the proposed abatements, drafted as four local laws, after holding a thirty minute public hearing before the regularly scheduled January village board meeting.
In other action board members:
- heard that the Village has been awarded $41,750 from the NYS Department of State for Waterfront Recreational Assets Planning and that talks will soon commence to develop a contract.
- noted that the Community Reconstruction Program committee will be meeting on Thursday, January 23rd, 7pm at the Schoharie Town Hall and that the group is close to prioritizing funds. One proposed project is to rebuild the historic Central Bridge-Schoharie railroad.
- requested a $302,906.66 disbursement from HELP (2011 Hurricane Emergency Loan Program) to fund repairs to the WWTP. Board members described the request as mostly cash flow as cost is subject to FEMA reimbursement. The Village was required to put down an $8,000 payment at 0% interest.
- appointed Town Justice Kenneth Knutsen to serve as acting Village Justice in the absence of Judge Kennedy at a rate of pay of $25 per occurrence.
- approved a motion to propose Local Law #5-2014 and to hold a public hearing at 7pm on February 11th, 2014 at the Village Offices. The proposed law would grant the Village authority to exceed the 2% tax cap if necessary.