Dutchess Beat Article 5/2/08 - Airing Grievances

Airing grievances
Fairview District residents tell political leaders tax changes are needed
By Greg Lucid

Members of the Fairview Fire District attended a meeting with residents, county legislators and other local political leaders at Violet Avenue Elementary School in Poughkeepsie on Thursday, April 24. More than 400 residents were in attendance, as many voiced concerns about a fire tax burning a hole in their wallets.

Approximately 80 percent of properties in the Fairview district are tax-exempt, leaving some residents to shoulder an overwhelming portion of the tax load.

But local lawmakers are saying they’ll help as best they can.

State Sen. Stephen Saland (R-Poughkeepsie) and Assemblyman Joel Miller (R-Poughkeepsie) promised to talk to Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus to collect back taxes and possibly add some county land back to the tax rolls. Both Saland and Miller left before the three-hour meeting ended.

Steinhaus did not attend the meeting and did not send a representative.

Town of Poughkeepsie board member Michael Cifone (R-4th Ward) said to the lawmakers, “Talk to Bill Steinhaus. Tell him we need help. Your support in talking to Mr. Steinhaus might get him to play ball.”

Richard Lambert, a Poughkeepsie resident, said he was stunned when he opened his tax bill.

“A 34 percent increase is ridiculous. And they tell me it’s going to be 37 percent next year … to the politicians, please take note, because this is job No. 1 for you. We need to get a cap,” he said.

Marist College is one of the tax-exempt properties under heavy criticism by Fairview residents, with some even saying that they wouldn’t pay their upcoming fire tax out of protest.

“Marist has their own security, their own police department … let them have their own fire department,” said Peter Gaffney.

Gaffney, a 35-year area resident, said he’s concerned about whether he and others can afford to remain in the area.

Kurt Hornick, a resident and leader of the ad-hoc group Fairness for Fairview, said his group formed in response to a March 25 vote by the Dutchess County Legislature, 13-12 in favor of a county land lease to Dutchess Community College for dormitory construction. Hornick said he vehemently opposes such construction.

“We feel the vote is flawed as two of our county legislators, William McCabe (D) and David Kelly (R), have ties to the college, which we feel is a conflict of interest,” said Hornick. Kelly is a member of the Board of Trustees for the college.

“Approximately 50 residents came before the legislature to plead with them not to make a bad situation worse for residents for Fairview … The 13 legislators who voted in favor of approving this lease agreement ignored us. They ignored the cries of the residents as well as the requests of the towns of Hyde Park, Poughkeepsie and the City of Poughkeepsie to suspend this project,” said Hornick. “Enough is enough.”

“We are the only fire district in all of New York State with 80 percent of its properties off the tax roll,” said Hornick.


Following up

On April 25, after the meeting, Miller said he placed a call to Steinhaus about the situation.

Steinhaus was unavailable for comment for this story.

“I have been working on this project for over 10 years. I met with Mr. Miller and Mr. Saland. They have promised me that they would get back to me, but no one has gotten back to me in 10 years,” said resident Anne Sutherland.

“We are in constant contact with Fairview,” said Miller. “It happens to be a unique situation. We have solutions at the state level that have been held up in the state assembly. Our friends from New York City aren’t rushing to do this,” said Miller.

“I have spoken with St. Francis Hospital and Marist College more than once to help with this district,” Saland said at the meeting. “If you want me to speak with County Executive, I’d be more than happy to do that.”