Bedford Assails State Mandate to Cap Property Taxes
A resolution viewed as largely symbolic registers the town's distaste with a proposed state law limiting annual property tax increases to a maximum of 2 percent.
Terming a proposed, state-imposed cap on local property taxes “hypocritical,” the Bedford town board Tuesday expressed unanimous and, it acknowledged, quite possibly futile opposition to the plan, already adopted by the State Senate.
If approved in the Assembly, which is not certain, Bedford and other municipalities and schools districts would be limited to annual property-tax increases of 2 percent. The town held 2011’s hike to little more than 2½ percent but only after months of budget-paring.
In its resolution—addressed to newly inaugurated Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who championed the cap in his campaign, and state legislators—the board warned of “drastic cuts in essential local services and dramatic layoffs of municipal employees” if the state limits are imposed. It also blamed Albany’s “continuous and unrelenting imposition” of “costly state mandates” for recent sharp jumps in local property taxes.
“State government apparently has embarked upon a program of transferring [its] responsibilities to county and municipal governments,” the resolution declared.
In introducing the resolution, Supervisor Lee V.A. Roberts said, “We are more than capable of taking care of our own finances.” To hold this year’s property-tax levy to a 2.56 percent increase—down from an expected 4.4 percent hike— the board had to identify almost a quarter-million dollars in eleventh-hour spending cuts and discover more than $70,000 in revenue, among other feats of budgetary paring.
No one is optimistic that those economies can be readily repeated. State mandates alone, unfunded or underfunded, would push property taxes past the cap limits, said Councilman Christopher Burdick. He and Councilman Francis Corcoran drafted the resolution approved by the board Tuesday.
Councilman David Gabrielson said, “I think it’s a real disaster looming.” Recalling another state’s experience with a cap on property taxes, he said, “I lived in California when they passed Proposition 13 [in 1978] and it’s been a disaster.”
Burdick said it was “hypocritical” of Albany to meddle in the town’s finances when the state “hasn’t been able to get its own house in order.”
Board contracts to house strays
Bedford contracted with Northwind Kennel on Old Post Road (Route 22) to provide shelter for stray dogs and cats brought in by the Bedford police or town animal-control officers. The animals will be boarded, at $15 a day, for up to 30 days, during which time Northwind will partner with Pet Rescue to offer the animal for adoption. After 30 days, unadopted animals could be destroyed, but Northwind’s Penny Berk said, “I have no intention of euthanizing any animal.”
In other action, the board:
APPROVED July 29 for the Bedford Fire Department’s annual parade, which will step off at 7 p.m.
SET March 1 for a public hearing on a proposed ordinance that would forbid any owner to willfully neglect historically significant property and another hearing on an amendment to the landlord registry ordinance. On the same day, the board will conduct a public information session on a federal requirement to pump out and inspect all septic systems in the town.
REAPPOINTED Felix J. Cacciato to a five-year term on the planning board.
CHANGED Sophia Jimenez’ police department appointment from provisional to permanent.
HEARD an appeal from Peter Michaelis, a member of the zoning board of appeals and a number of other town volunteer organizations, to consider some form of term limits for nonelected positions.
David Gabrielson
7:34 am on Thursday, February 10, 2011
Here's what troubles me about a 2% cap. Any time inflation exceed 2%, a state mandated cap means we'll have to cut services or force our employees to take pay cuts, or we'll have to hold an expensive budget over-ride vote. These caps mean wealthier towns, like Bedford, will be more likely to pass these over-rides than poor towns all over New York... maybe not our problem here, but not good for the state as a whole. It's also the way this has unfolded, with ONE AGAIN, New Yorker's interests being managed by just 3 men.. the Governor, Speaker of the Assembly, and the Senate Majority Leader. No debate. They ALWAYS get what's best for them politically. New Yorkers and Bedford residents have a great way to influence their spending... come to meetings, express your views, and vote big spenders out of office.
David Gabrielson
MichaelCatania
10:01 am on Thursday, February 10, 2011
Unfortunately in these perilous times we all have to bite the bullet. Cuts statewide are necessary in order for NYS to avert a future disaster. Locally we can see residents of Bedford/Katonah putting their houses up for sale as a result of current tax burden.
Mary Hall
11:51 am on Thursday, February 10, 2011
So cut services. I think this is absolutely a step in the right direction. You'll lose a budget override vote, by the way. Make the cuts and shrink town government. Budget this year should have been flat.
Katoner
3:03 pm on Thursday, February 10, 2011
The issue is flexibility. In tough economic times, like the last few years, we need to keep budget increases down and look to cut costs as much as possible. However, a cap means the budget can never exceed 2% and how does the State know that's what's right for our community someday? After this Winter, there's going to be a need for a lot of work to fix the roads. Next year we're going to need spend more on salt. In inflation is 3% or more, year after year, how can you only raise the salary of a town worker by 2%? A hard cap makes for good politics right now, but it will be a problem in the future. It's not the answer. The answer is to vote for the town council members that will support your vision of town priorities and spending -- let's keep making the decisions here in Bedford and not be dictated to by Albany.
Steve Wilder
7:03 am on Friday, February 25, 2011
We spend about $27-28,000 per student as opposed to the national average of $11-12,000. Tell friends in other parts of the country what salaries our police, teachers, and school admininistrators get (www.SeeThroughNY.com) and how many administrators our schools have and you will see a lot of jaws drop. And don't give me that their salaries are higher because the students do better in school. The students do better because of their parents not the teachers. Saying otherwise is like saying the police deserve more money because crime is less here, so they must be doing a good job. Crime is less because the people here are not criminals. Teachers and police get higher salaries for the same reason John Dillinger robbed banks - because that's where the money is.