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Today's Poll: What is your position on the proposed county property tax increase?

By Howard B. Owens
Doug Yeomans

Wait a minute, wasn't a huge agri-business park just built and doesn't that mean an increase in tax revenue for the county already? More jobs means more people paying taxes and spending money in the county and more corporate taxes being collected from businesses?

With Obama's huge success at lowering the rate of unemployment (sarcasm), doesn't that mean more people are working in the county than were 4 years ago? I mean, all those shovel ready jobs put more people to work somewhere, right?

Oct 22, 2012, 9:54am Permalink
Doug Yeomans

http://thebatavian.com/tags/genesee-valley-agri-business-park

Are these projects only good for big business and the average tax payer is expected to pick up the slack with increased property taxes? I can't help but cry "FOUL" and "BULLSH*T!"

Two giant multinational companies received millions in taxpayer subsidies to launch "Project Wave" in Batavia on the promise of creating local jobs and stimulating the local economy, but so far, according to Dave Young, it's not happening.

Pepsi along with Germany-based Theo Muller Group formed Wave Holding to introduce a new Greek-style yogurt product to the United States and are spending more than $206 million to build a 363,000-square-foot facility.

The plant will initially employ nearly 200 people and could eventually employ as many as 600 people.

Wave Holding received more than $11 million in tax abatements for the project and the GCEDC has been able to channel millions more into building the ag park and ensuring the park has sufficient infrastructure to support operations there.

Young suggested GCEDC should adopt rules similar to those he claims are already in place in Monroe County -- if you get tax breaks for your project, you need to hire local workers.

Oct 22, 2012, 10:11am Permalink
Doug Yeomans

I guess with that negative vote and no verbal response, I should just assume that you want a property tax increase and that you'll be voting for Obama "again."

Oct 22, 2012, 10:14am Permalink
Doug Yeomans

"Two giant multinational companies received millions in taxpayer subsidies to launch "Project Wave"

Which part of "tax subsidized" do you not understand? We pay to subsidize projects that are supposed to benefit us and then we get the stick stuck up our arse again!

Oct 22, 2012, 10:25am Permalink
Kyle Couchman

I'd like to know why the county is giving another 200,000 to GCEDC again this yearthat is also taxpayer money that is thrown into the mix. If they hand out bonuses again this year that meet or exceed that county contribution I will begin to serious question our county reps on every statement and cut they make from here on out including every whine about how tight things are.

Oct 22, 2012, 10:58am Permalink
Mark Potwora

I would give my opinion on this but Howard would just tell me i'm bitching.....Watch your self Doug I've made the same complaint as you and Howard calls it bitching and complaining.

Oct 22, 2012, 11:27am Permalink
Doug Yeomans

I've had my ass handed to me before, Mark. If I was worried about having my feelings hurt, I wouldn't voice my opinion here. I'm pretty sure I presented some good arguments against a property tax hike just on the agri-park alone being built here. If business comes into an area on that scale, property taxes should go down, not up.

I owned 26 acres of property in Wethersfield and was told that my property taxes would decrease when all those wind turbines were built. It was all a lie in order to allow a massive, tax subsidized project to happen. My taxes continued to rise and my 20 mile view from the highest point in the county was destroyed. Those turbines sounded like a thousand washing machines running and those blades spinning around sounded like "SWISH SWISH SWISH SWISH" constantly.

Those turbines directly impacted me and my property but I wasn't compensated in any way. I'm not one to bitch about progress but I am one that will bitch about being lied to at my own expense.

Oct 22, 2012, 11:55am Permalink
Mark Potwora

Doug i gave you a thumbs up on that one and agree whole heartily....They raise your assessment and raise the tax rate at the same time..Doesn't make sense....Then they tell you its all about the unfunded mandates....Giving out tax abatements is not a mandate from the state..Having 700 people working for the county is not mandated by the state..There is only 58,000 people in this county.Do we really need a county government of this size..The Ag-Park has done nothing to lower any ones tax rate..At this time they are only 50 people employed in the Ag-Park..And according to the poll people feel more can be done to cut spending before we raise the tax rate..To give the GCEDC 200,000 dollars when they can afford to pay out big bonus's to Mr.Hyde seems like a good place to cut.....And those wind turbines you mention is another big waste of tax dollars....They have not made a dent in the electrical needs of this country......The county need to stop with taxing property differently form one owner to another..Tax all property at fair market value..No tax breaks for any property.....

Oct 22, 2012, 12:51pm Permalink

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