Bend FARTHER over

[dgriffin]

Plan to cap tax payments on forest land sparks outcry


Gov. David Paterson’s proposed cap on property tax payments to communities with state forest preserve land wouldn’t just affect the heart of the Adirondacks.

Paterson’s plan would cap the state’s payments on forest land across the state, but that would have a particular impact in the Adirondack and Catskill parks, where the state owns large amounts of forest.

Paterson’s plan is opposed by both local officials and advocates of state protection for wild lands.

“All 19 million New York residents are owners of the Adirondack and Catskill forest preserves, and we should act like responsible landlords,” said David Gibson, executive director of the Association for Protection of the Adirondacks.


Surprised I couldn't find coverage of this issue in the OD. Papers up and down the state are following this story, since there are many towns that contain state owned land. First, they'll cap at last year's levels, then they'll begin reducing it, leaving local towns and counties to pick up the tab.

[dgriffin]

I received an email from the PropertyTaxReform people, which points out the following:


Gov. Patterson and the legislature are considering amending laws on the books since 1886 that require the state to pay taxes on state land in the Adirondacks, Catskills, and elsewhere. Capping the taxes paid on state lands at 2008 levels would:

· Renege on the state’s 122-year commitment to pay full taxes on Forest Preserve and saddle private taxpayers with heavier tax loads to make up the difference.

· Cut funding to schools just as taxpayers are demanding more state money to ease local property taxes.

· Divert property taxes from their intended use for local towns, villages, and schools and add them to state coffers.


I wonder if this cap will (now or later) affect state properties in cities, such as a state office building.
The cap will devastate the school district I worked in, because so much of the property was state land. Next will come the NY City Reservoir land. A reduction in the taxes they pay would effectively close down schools in the Catskills. These actions amount to moving dwindling public monies from rural New York State to Albany and "The City." The folks with the power are grabbing up the revenue and refusing to give any of it back to taxpayers across New York.

[dan]

"The folks with the power are grabbing up the revenue and refusing to give any of it back to taxpayers across New York."

.......begin substituting (water, power, jobs, air, blood, etc, etc, etc) for revenue.