I was listening to some snippets of the Public Hearing on Tuesday, and I'm concerned with what I've heard.
There was no decision on fixing up Pinegrove for the short term, or the long term at this Public Hearing.
There was a decision for the board to split up into "sub committees" to have more discussion.
There was Labella admitting that a few of their estimates were incorrect, specifically the sidewalk and parking lot estimate. Significant dollar amount errors.
This, supposedly, proves that Labella is "human and makes mistakes".
I'm sorry, but if the taxpaying "humans" are paying other "expert humans" $34,000 to do a study on the property, I don't think I'm out of line when I insist it be done without human errors. Especially since there's been an infinite amount of errors from the humans on the Town Board already when informing the residents of "facts" on this issue.
The fact that Labella did admit their errors does not prove to me that they are "on the up and up", or that the Town didn't influence them to provide inflated estimates to begin with.
It proves to me that the "threat" of the state investigating the books forced them to give the true numbers. It proves to me that the residents aren't as stupid as they think "we" are, and can easily find out with a few phone calls that their numbers were skewed beyond reasonable.
That's what that proves.
Collusion is a naughty-naughty thing, isn't it? "Ooopsies....some of our figures were incorrect."
Anywho......MEH went into a long speech at the Public Hearing on how "We deserve the best."
Stephanie Aldersley said at the regular TB meeting this month that she is "a senior, and I'd like an elevated running track."
I deserve, and would like, a brand new jaguar.......but, can I afford it? Not in this economy.
Am I justified in asking YOU to pay for MY new jaguar if I say "Well, other people have nice jaguars, and I want one too! I deserve it!"
What would be your answer to me if I said that? Ha ha I can only imagine..........
In reading the article comments in the D&C, somebody mentions statistics.
"Unemployment rate in town is hovering around 8%. About 7% of the population lives below the poverty line. About 20% of the population is 65 and older. Since 2000 the population growth has been a negative -2 %. Economic growth has been stagnant. The Town's property tax rate is the highest in the county, school taxes one of two highest in the county. The Town is 98% developed and can't attract "quick revenue generators" - but can give property tax breaks to Congel."
Are they accurate?
Let's go on a data journey...........
NYS Department Of Labor lists the unemployment rate for Irondequoit at around 8%. (If you scroll a little past halfway....you'll find Irondequoit. Select that, then hit submit, and you can see the page below.)
U.S. Census Bureau lists individuals below the poverty level at 6.6%.
U.S. Census Bureau lists individuals 65 years of age and older at 19.5% of the population of Irondequoit.
U.S. Census Bureau lists the population estimates as down -1.5% from April 2000 to July 2007.....so one can assume that this is the trend, and it isn't a far reach to say that population growth is -2% now.
I think it's pretty safe to assume that the economic growth in our area is stagnant. I don't think I need to provide "proof" of that statement. It's pretty obvious.
Monroe County lists the 2009 town tax rates as 6.4%. Gates, Greece, and Hamlin are higher.
They list the 2008-2009 school tax rate for East Irondequoit at 25.927298 and West Irondequoit at 24.606602. Brockport, Hilton, and Kendall are higher than EI.
Tony Favro, in this article, states that: "The town is probably 97 (percent) to 98 percent built out and you're just not going to attract the quick revenue generators that you can in other areas," Favro said.
I'll just take his word on that, because I don't have "data" that I can actually look up on this......that I know of anyways.....but Tony Favro is the Senior Planner for the Town, and the extremely educated and competent assistant to the Supervisor....so if he says it.....I believe it.
Medley PILOT tax breaks to Congel were approved before he secured financing for his project. He could very well pay LESS property taxes under the current agreement, and hold off on development until the "new" PILOT takes effect, in, I believe, 2016.
All in all, I believe the person who commented with the "statistics" was accurate.
I did all of this because I know someone is going to go on the D&C article comments to challenge those figures/statements.
Now you can show them the data. :)
