----- Original Message -----
From: Ginny
To: nbonopar@poughkeepsiejournal.com
[Poughkeepsie Journal Staff Writer]
Sent: Monday, August 15, 2005 10:54 AM
Subject: Colleges challenge fire services
[Poughkeepsie Journal Article August 15, 2005]

Dear Mr. Bonapartis,

Regarding today's article in the Poughkeepsie Journal. "Colleges challenge fire services"

This year I paid $953 in Fairview Fire District Taxes and had 0 Calls. This on a Town Home assessed at $108,000. In 2004 Fire Calls to Marist College represented 14% of the Fairview District's calls. My calls represented 0%. What percentage of the total calls of the Arlington Fire District did the 379 calls to Vassar represent. What percentage of the Total assessed value of property in the Arlington Fire District is owned by Vassar. It's all relative to # of calls vs. total calls and the relative share of the total property the tax exempt entity owns in the district and the effect on the tax base.

The situation in Dutchess County is Frightening from a safety standpoint as the Fire Districts are at a breaking point as are the taxpayers.

The County must investigate having a County Wide Fire Service in order to spread these costs out. This would allow for part of our Sales Tax to be used for Fire Service Funding. The alternative to this would be for the Town of Poughkeepsie to investigate, formulate and institute a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program in the Town. Local Town Fathers have a tremendous amount of power delegated to them under Municipal Home Rule Law and local zoning codes which to date they have failed to implement for the benefit and safety of those who they were elected to represent.

Those of us who live in the Town of Poughkeepsie's 4th Ward which includes Marist are being hit doubly hard especially when you consider that the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department Budget is half our Town Budget and the Unfair distribution of the Municipal Share of the Dutchess County Sales Tax Revenue. 

Jim Hammond says that the College Population brings in business.  However, the Town of Poughkeepsie reaps a very small portion of the County Sales Tax Revenue collected by those businesses. The venues that Marist Sponsors such as the ESG brings added expense to the Town.  I understand that Fairview Fire District submitted a $3,000 plus bill to ESG but as late as August 2 had yet to receive reimbursement for the added expense to the district caused by the Games.  With the continued growth of Marist College and the likelihood that they will sponsor other similar events in the future,  where will the outrageous burden on the Fairview Fire District and its taxpayers end? Gee Thanks Jim Hammond for being the person behind bringing the ESG to Marist and Vassar.  Marist gets the publicity and the taxpayers pay the price.

Consider this too: What are the number of Town of Poughkeepsie Police Calls to Marist and Vassar campuses and the number of associated calls caused by the student population such as those caused by those living off campus? What are the total number of Town of Poughkeepsie Police Calls.

Personally I am tired of our County and Local Town Officials lauding the Colleges contributions to our Community while the taxpayers foot the bill.  It's time the Colleges started footing their fair share of the bill.  It is time for our elected officials to stop saying "How High" when the Colleges say "Jump" when matters regarding the Colleges are before various Town Boards including the Planning and Zoning Boards.  Our elected officials first obligation should be to the voters, citizens and taxpayers and not to tax exempt entities.  The colleges can assess the expense back to their students in the form of a "Safety Fee" per student per semester.  These colleges charge a fee for everything else - why not a safety fee which in turn could be utilized to offset the Fees charged to the College for local services including not only Fire but Police Services. 

I recently read that one town councilman is sponsoring events at local parks in the 4th Ward.  One event for Marist Students and neighbors.  I can assure you that there are few in the 4th Ward interested in socializing with Marist Students who are one of the main reasons they may be forced out of their homes by outrageous taxes and whose safety is in jeopardy. Many of us have lived here all our lives and would like to remain here till the end and are disheartened by the fact that we will be forced out of homes later in life due to the burden the colleges in our community are placing on us.

This same councilman thinks that the development of HRPC will reduce our Fire District Taxes.  This may very well be but our School District Taxes will most likely rise by twice the amount by which our Fire District Taxes will be reduced.  Where will this all end?

Same councilman was seen on the local cablevision coverage of the ESG - laughing, socializing and having a grand time with the Executive Vice President of Marist College at the VIP Reception at Marist associated with the ESG Opening Ceremonies.  I have it on tape. The Executive Vice President of Marist College's wife holds a high position at St. Francis Hospital, another tax exempt entitity.

Our elected officials need to make the hard choices, put safety first and stand up for those whom they are elected to serve.

Virginia A. Buechele
Windsor Court
Poughkeepsie, NY

Ginny's Fairview Fire District Page

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/
Acres/2843/fairview.html

How Duchess County Unfairly Distributes the Municipal Share of the Duchess County Uniform Sales Tax

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/
Acres/2843/fairtax.html

Town of Poughkeepsie
Town Board Agenda
[Sorry this is posted late - but the Agenda was only put up on the Town Web Site within the last couple of hours! [July 20, 2005 - 1 PM]

July 20,2005[Tabled till August 3, 2005 Meeting]
7pm - Town Hall - One Overocker Road
Item #3

"Authorize Supervisor to sign License and Sidewalk Maintenance Agreements with MARIST COLLEGE."

Come and ask some questions?
Any questions!
Just be there!
Let the Town know you are Watching!
Tell your neighbors, bring them along, give them a ride.

What are the details of this Agreement?
What are the duties and responsibilites of each party to this Agreement?
Any Costs attributable to either party?
Should we really be signing agreements with a tax-exempt entity in the Town when the Town has yet to institute a PILOT Program for Tax Exempt Property(ies) in the Town???
What happens if the Town doesn't sign the License & Sidewalk Agreement?
Make up some questions of your own!
I'm sure someone must have a question they can ask!

Remember "Together we can make a Difference!"
HOWEVER, "It takes a Village" as Hillary would say!

Finally! One Small Step towards sending the right message - Let's continue to keep our voices active and perhaps soon Giant Steps will be taken in the right direction:

Town of Poughkeepsie Town Board Meeting
July 6, 2005 7PM
Agenda Item #6
"Authorize"
"Waive Assembly Permit Fee - Marist College - Empire State Games"

Town of Poughkeepsie Town Board Meeting
July 6, 2005

ACTION: DEFEATED - 1:6 - July 6, 2005

Nayes:
Baisley
Seminara
Bauer
Cifone
Krakower
Tancredi

Aye:
Davis

Marist has to pay the $400 to the Town for the Assembly Permit for the Opening Ceremonies for the Empire State Games. Not that this will help the Fire District coffers but it sends the right message from our Town Fathers for a change. The Town Board did the right thing. Too Bad the action wasn't unanimous! [July 6, 2005 - Ginny was present and asked the Town Board to defeat the authorization to waive the fee!]

And now we have this coming
July 27 -31, 2005

Empire State Games

Note the number of Events at the "Big M" including Opening Ceremonies. This can't help but add to the expenses of our Fire District

What else will the future Bring
as the "Big M" expands.

Food, Clothing and Shelter are the basics needed to survive, many of us will soon be forced out of our shelter by a LUXURY we can't afford!

Dutchess County Legislator Jim Hammond - Poughkeepsie Journal - October 19, 2004

"Traffic control and public safety will be provided by local police to ensure the Games are held in a convenient yet safe environment. The Hudson Valley has hosted presidents and big events before. We certainly can do it again."
- - - - - - - - -

We must not let the "little guy", the citizens and taxpayers of the Fairview Fire Distrct, be Forgotten.

Town of Poughkeepsie Town Board - Agenda Item #7 - June 22, 2005 - Resolution to authorize Supv. Davis to sign a support letter for Marist College for a Hudson River Estuary Grant. - Resolution passed 6-0 - Councilman Baisley was absent.
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Ginny's public comments at the June 22, 2005 Town of Poughkeepsie Town Board Meeting:
------------------------------------------------------------
This Board as our Poughkeepsie Town Fathers should think a dozen times and even longer before authorizing the Supervisor to put his pen to paper to sign a grant support letter for a Tax - Exempt entity in the Fairview Fire District.

We all know how long we have been waiting for YOU, our Town Fathers, to Put your Pens to paper to formulate and implement a PILOT Program for Tax-Exempt properties in the Town and especially the Fairview Fire District that would offer us all some tax relief & just as important show that you all care about our safety and "Put Safety of the People First"!

Shouldn't We the Citizens and Safety come first in this Town.

You, our Town Fathers, have an immense amount of Power as given to you by New York State Municipal Home Rule Law and further by Zoning and Planning Codes. All you have to do is put your minds to it and that of the Town Attorney and You can do it. It is time the circle of irresponsibility from here in this room, to the floor of the County Legislature, to the Halls of State Government and beyond ended. This is not 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue - However it is 1 Overocker and The Buck Stops here!

I ask you you to defeat authorizing "Supv. Davis" to sign this Grant Support Letter and put your heads together to do what you know you can do for the citizens of this community - that which they have been asking for on numerous occasions over the years

Letter to the Editor - Poughkeepsie Journal
Submitted by Ginny - Saturday - June 18, 2005

It seems that responsibility for Outrageous Fairview Fire
District Taxes is a circle of irresponsibility. This circle does not include the Officers and Board of the Fire District.

On numerous occasions the public, Fire District officers and board members have spoken out about our problems at the local level. Has the TOWN AGGRESSIVELY sought a solution? I think not!

Our County Legislature tells us our problem lies with the Town.

State Officials tell us this is a local problem. A State Bill that would help alleviate this problem lies dormant in the State Assembly Local Government Committee.

It remains to be seen if Marist and other tax exempt property owners will actually sit down and negotiate fair and equitable "Payment in Lieu of Taxes" (PILOT) payments on their own.

Marist must stop actively pursuing public funding for essentially private projects with Town & County sponsorship and in return giving the community only limited public access at Marist's convenience. The grants that Marist obtains for projects are our tax dollars too and the Town and County give their blessing for this when we in the Fairview Fire District are already contributing dearly to Marist through our Fire District Taxes. The Town must hold Marist and other tax-exempt property owners accountable for annual PILOT payments when projects are before the Town Board and/or Planning Board. Town Officials need to aggressively support the Fairview Fire District in insuring that these tax-exempt properties fairly contribute to our overburdened Fire District by formulating, implementing and enforcing a PILOT program.

Let's put Safety First before limited public access.

Dutchess County Legislature - RESOLUTION 205175
Assumption of Sponsorship role for MARIST COLLEGE
HUDSON RIVER SCENIC OVERLOOK & ACCESS ROAD.
July 15, 2005 - Ginny's Public Statement at Dutchess County Legislature Meeting July 15, 2005.

Although I am strongly in favor of improving the Hudson River
Waterfront and making it accessible to the Public - I must question
the utilization of TEA funds for this project and urge this
legislative body to Put Safety FIRST!

In my opinion Dutchess County sponsorship of the MARIST COLLEGE HUDSON RIVER SCENIC OVERLOOK & ACCESS ROAD would constitute a violation of local taxpayer's trust.

All of us in the 4th Ward [Town of Poughkeepsie] within the Fairview Fire District contribute to Marist dearly already due to the fact that MARIST is tax exempt.

The outrageous amount of Tax-Free Property in the 4th Ward of the
Town of Poughkeepsie owned by Marist is a major cause of our
outrageous Fire District Taxes and NOW Marist wants the County to
sponsor the utilization of MORE tax dollars for the benefit of Marist
as represented by the tax dollars this state pays into the FEDERAL
Highway Trust Fund. The amount that Marist Contributes to the
Fairview Fire District is minimal when compared to what their fair
share of taxes would be were they not tax exempt and an inordinate
percentage of Fairview Fire District Total Alarms are to Marist
College.

TEA funds were designed primarily to ensure a dependable source of
financing for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways
& also as the source of funding for the remainder of the Federal-aid
Highway Program. These funds are derived from excise taxes on highway motor fuel.

Until such time as the State, County and/or Marist can come up with
a way to provide tax relief to the taxpayers in the Town of
Poughkeepsie and especially those within the Fairview Fire District,
I ask the legislature to Vote NO on this resolution today or in the
future. I also ask you to vote NO because I don't believe that this
Project substantially benefits the Dutchess County Public. We need
to put Safety First. If we were talking about building a pedestrian
walkway over Route 9 that would insure the safety of Marist Students,
faculty and visitors as well as the safety of those in this county
who traverse Route 9 in the vicinity of Marist each day - then
perhaps utilization of TEA funds could be appropriately sponsored by
the County for that purpose.

Please note the wording in the Resolution - "the scenic overlook and
access road will offer LIMITED PUBLIC VISUAL ACCESS to the Hudson River by making its VIEWSCAPE available to the general public through a public access easement to the County" and the wording in the Easement Agreement "ingress and egress at all reasonable times".

This one overburdened taxpayer asks you to vote No on this Resolution until such time as a plan can be devised to provide tax relief to the overburdened taxpayers of the Fairview Fire District and Marist
builds an overhead pedestrian walkway that will insure the safety of
Marist Students and Visitors as well as the general public on the
Route 9 thoroughfare at Marist College. This can be done and it
needs to be done NOW - We need to Put Safety First before Limited
Visual Access.

I quote and support the words of the Fairview Fire District:

The time has come for our elected officials in Town, County, and
State government to take a serious look at the potentially disastrous
problem facing the Fairview Fire District, find solutions and
implement them [NOW]. The fire service is like an automobile insurance policy and the tax exempt properties are the uninsured driver. They create the greatest liability, the greatest number of accidents, but it's the insured driver (the taxpayer) who pays. . . . . . . . The taxpayers can no longer shoulder the increasing cost for providing
fire and EMS protection when it is the non-profit enterprises
creating the increase, whether it's by generating more alarms,
increasing the level of protection required, or simply removing
purchased property from the tax rolls.

I appreciate Marist efforts on behalf of the general public but
Marist and this legislative body need to get their priorities in
order and put Safety First if they want Community support for their
efforts.

On a side note I would suggest that the Map provided with this
Resolution as prepared by Rhode, Soyka and Andrews entitled Hudson River Scenic Overlook and Access Road - Drawing 1 of 1 - dated April 2005 should be revised to denote the ownership of the properties on the West side of the New York Central RR property. The ownership of the properties north of the Lands of Vassar College are not noted on the map as provided with the Resolution. As it appears now the drawing provided with the Resolution leads one to believe that the lands on the West side of the the NYCRR Tracks north of the Lands of Vassar College are owned by Marist when according to Dutchess County Tax Maps at least two parcels on the West Side of the tracks are owned jointly by the City and Town of Poughkeepsie.
***************************

Resolution Passed - However I did try!

Thank You to those legislators voting against this resolution:

Tyner, Keller-Coffey, Nesbitt, Sears, Clearwater