Village of Tannersville Board Discusses Anti-Semitism

Tannersville – At a Village of Tannersville Board meeting on Tuesday evening, concerns were raised about growing anti-Semitic sentiments in the community. According to the Board, several residents have visited Village Hall to express their frustration about what they perceive as an unequal number of tax-exempt properties owned by the Jewish community, particularly on Park Lane, Spring Street, and the Villa Vosilla property, according to Village Clerk Robin Dumont, who fielded the above mentioned concerns from members of the community. This sparked outrage among Village officials, who immediately addressed the claims.

It appears that a few residents of our fair Village were not well-informed.

In response, the Village Board compiled a list of all tax-exempt properties within the Village. Their findings revealed that out of the 29 tax-exempt parcels in Tannersville, only three are owned by the Jewish community. In fact, there is just one tax-exempt property on Park Lane, and it is owned by the Tannersville Joint Fire District.

Breaking down the numbers, Village Mayor David Schneider said, "Currently, we have 29 parcels that are tax-exempt, of which 17 are Village-owned properties, the Town of Hunter owns one, one is Tannersville Housing, one is the Mountain Top Library, one is the Village Fire Department, two are for the Methodist Church, one is the Hebrew Congregation, one is the school, two are the Catskill Mountain Foundation, and two others are owned by religious organizations. As you can see, most tax-exempt properties are Town or Village-owned municipal properties."

Village Trustee George Kelly, addressing the misconceptions, stated, "I've heard every accusation in the book. Out of 29 tax-exempt properties, just three are Jewish organizations." He described a recent conversation with a local business owner, who referred to what they called "the Jewish problem" in the Village. Kelly made it clear that such remarks stem from anti-Semitism. "These people came to Robin and based their concerns on rumors that every Jew that comes up here pays no taxes. As you can see, there are three tax-exempt Jewish houses of worship. That's one-tenth of the tax-exempt properties in the Village," he added.

In a strongly worded rebuke, Kelly compared the situation to pre-Holocaust Germany, stating, "1938 is not going to be repeated in the Village of Tannersville. One-third of this Village comprises Jewish-owned homes—whether you like the Jewish community or not, don't espouse anti-semitism in my Village. I'm sick of the comments and will defend all my constituents. I know it's a delicate subject, but the Jewish community pays their taxes and are here three months out of the year as homeowners."

While Kelly acknowledged that not everyone in the community harbors anti-Semitic views, he warned that the situation is worsening and must be addressed. "We will not tolerate intolerance," he concluded.

The Board remains uncertain about the origins of these sentiments, with Mayor Schneider suggesting that it could be the work of someone deliberately trying to incite trouble. Trustee Kelly also addressed the upcoming potential dissolution of the Village, rejecting the notion that the anti-Semitic comments are linked to concerns over the dissolution vote, which could include absentee ballots from Jewish residents and ultimately decide the fate of the Village. "I'm not going to sit back and have any religion picked on or accept us being accused of favoritism. This office will not tolerate it. I hope we can continue this dialogue to stop this, which has been happening for years."

Kelly also referenced a recent hate crime in the Village, where a note saying "Jews Get Out" was left on someone's windshield earlier this year. He stated that the incident is under investigation by the State Police, adding, "Something odd is going on up here."

Mayor Schneider reaffirmed the Village's commitment to standing against hate, saying, "There's no place in this Village for this type of rhetoric. We won't accept it, and we will defend all Village constituents. It is unacceptable, and we will not put up with this."