Ethics Board
Welfare - Red Hook style...
Latest "Welfare Payment" by our Town Board this week: to Keith Lore--lowering of one-time fee for all new houses to help pay for Recreation Park costs. One time only Recreation Park fee gets dropped from 3,000 to 800 dollars - just for him and his first phase of Anderson Commons.
That won't even pay for the snow plowing on the access roads for one snowstorm---THAT we, the townspeople get to pay for. And imagine the millions to clean up the TOWN AQUIFER---the source for all of us of clean drinking water directly under his project, if something goes wrong. And remember, this is not a construction firm, their expertise is in excavation---not building.
The real " hardship" in this town is being borne by the local taxpayers
who do not have the luxury of building another spec house and then leaving town, leaving the rest of us to pay the $50,000 PER YEAR , PER HOUSE that is left over unpaid by taxes of the new homeowner. The big secret is that that number is not only correct, it is probably LOW. Housing costs us all a fortune. Giving a builder a one-time break, gives the rest of us an ongoing UNFUNDED liability in our tax bill. Go to Wall Street analysts for the numbers, based on Dutchess County costs.
We have an ongoing, indefensible "Welfare State" in Red Hook,
where the future business opportunities of the 'few' constantly trump the interests of the 'many' who are just trying to hold onto their houses and pay their taxes. Just take a look at the "Hardship" exemptions pushed through in the last few years. No overall plan for the town, and constant 'tricks' every time it is brought up so that the likes of Harkins, Hourihan, Lore, Ross Brothers, Sieverding etc etc ( look into the agendas during the last two years, and listen to their complaints in the minutes and videos--- for these peoples' applications for"Hardship" exemptions from the laws the rest of us have to follow.) Hardship? Them?
Watch them get what they want ahead of the community at large, and in so doing, drive the tax bills for all of us through the roof.
Listen to the likes of Jim Ross, Al Trezza and their coached sycophants puff themselves up in noisy proclamations, claiming "illegal procedure" on the part of anyone daring to question their
integrity. Just check the record. Their self-dealing is clear, and we have it clearly recorded. Do not be distracted by their noise, just look at your tax bill. Support your newer representatives, who rightly question what is "business as usual" for this noisy crew. Keep your eye on the ball and do not get distracted by them.
The prize is no less than your own personal financial stability,
reasonable taxes, a liveable community, with the "few" put back in line to pay their own bills. Their "welfare payments " are about to end. No wonder they are upset!
Let's put their needs aside for the next few months
and do some hard numbers on a future plan for the entire town, the Centers and Greenspace Plan, complete with an in depth analysis of the NUMBERS for this. We have very high-powered executives in this town, familiar with current, sophisticated funding methods used at this
time all over the world. With all due respect, much of our town's advice does not come from that sector. They are here----ask them!!!
Once again, the prize is no less than each taxpayers' own personal financial stability, reasonable taxes, a liveable community, with the "few" put back in line to pay their own bills. Their "welfare payments " are about to end. No wonder they are upset!
