Thursday, June 12, 2008

Village Limits

Apparently the Village of Cobleskill has once again paid thousands of dollars for a consultant to tell them something they could have learned just by reading this blog. Over the past several months, a private consulting group has been studying ways to reform municipal boundaries to improve efficiency and better provide services. It turns out that the Village has a lot to gain by scrapping its village status and re-incorporating as a city.

The consulting group claims that the Village could gain nearly 2 million dollars in sales tax revenue if it became a city. As Deputy Mayor MacKay rightly stated, this could eliminate the need for property taxes in the Village. Many of the county’s retail businesses are located within the Village boundaries. This would entitle the Village or a future city to a much greater share of sales tax revenues.

Though the sales tax revenue gain is perhaps the biggest reason to consider re-incorporation, there are plenty of other reasons as well. Remember that whole issue with the Town double-billing Village taxpayers? If Cobleskill were a city, this would no longer be an issue. The Town would not get any of a City of Cobleskill’s tax revenues. Becoming a City would also give Cobleskill representation on the County Board of Supervisors. The Village is currently represented by the Town Supervisor. Now, this is okay until Town-Village relations go sour. With Town and Village leaders at each others throats, can the Town Supervisor be relied upon to fairly represent the interests of the Village at the county level? If Cobleskill were a city, it would get its own supervisor to sit on the County Board and serve as an advocate.

If Cobleskill were a City it could re-invest any revenue windfall in revitalizing Main Street. Plus, it would have more of an incentive to do this, as it would directly reap the benefits of any extra sales tax revenue.

This is something the Village of Cobleskill should begin work on immediately. We don’t need to talk endlessly or pay another consultant another $50,000. Whatever steps need to be taken, let’s take them. Petitions need to be filed? A referendum vote needs to be set up? I’m willing to invest some time in this effort, is anyone else?

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

You infer that the town is not included in the request for city status. I believe the entire township (Village & Town)would be included in the charter for city status. No way are the state legislators going to allow another sow into the feeding trough. Seeking City status is a total waste of time fraught with beaureaucratic minefields.. What we need is local legislators with balls getting us our fair share of tax revenues. Not since 1996 has a town supervisor even broached the subject of sales tax with the county.

Sean said...

"You infer that the town is not included in the request for city status"

I should have been more clear about this. I have advocated in the past that just the Village reincorporate as a city, in response to conflicts between the Town and Village.

But as far as this recent study is concerned, yes, they're talking about both the Town and Village becoming a City, which I would support as well if it could be done. But that assumes the Town would go along, I don't think that's necessary. There's enough sales tax revenue generated in the Village to make it worthwhile to reincorporate. But obviously an entire township re-incorporation would be better.

"Seeking City status is a total waste of time fraught with beaureaucratic minefields.."

I certainly don't think it would necessarily be easy, but could you give some examples where municipalities have tried this and run into the troubles you mentioned?

As far as I know, there have only been a few communities that have talked about doing this in the past several decades: Wellsville and Kiryas Joel. I'd be curious to know what their experience could teach Cobleskill.

Anonymous said...

I think we should push for statehood, city status is so yesterday.

Sean said...

Why do anything, won't dumb sarcasm solve all our problems?

Anonymous said...

This is America Sean, sarcasam, comedy, sports, television and beer. The basic distractions to keep a populace in limbo from generation to generation. You would not know who the true dangers to society really are even if they introduced themselves to you. Ever think that the books you read are written by someone that has a bigger agenda out there? or what you deem as facts and authoritative statistics have not been somehow altered or otherwise tweeked to fit someone else's grand scheeme. They have created you Sean, you serve a purpose, you are a tool, a small hand tool at that. And may I add, a dispossable and ultimately replaceable one. Can you feel the strings when you move?

Sean said...
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Sean said...
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Sean said...
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Sean said...

"This is America Sean, sarcasam, comedy, sports, television and beer. The basic distractions to keep a populace in limbo from generation to generation."

A bleak outlook, but essentially correct.

"You would not know who the true dangers to society really are even if they introduced themselves to you."

Why don't you enlighten me as to who or what these "true dangers" are.

"Ever think that the books you read are written by someone that has a bigger agenda out there?"

You mean, do I approach most information with a healthy skepticism? Of course, and the cure for this is to read more, not less.

"or what you deem as facts and authoritative statistics have not been somehow altered or otherwise tweeked to fit someone else's grand scheeme"

Of course the numbers are cooked. Look at the unemployment rate, which is much higher than reported to the exclusion of so-called "discouraged workers".

"They have created you Sean, you serve a purpose, you are a tool, a small hand tool at that. And may I add, a dispossable and ultimately replaceable one. Can you feel the strings when you move?"

Is that from the Matrix? I'm pretty sure that was in the Matrix.

I'm not sure why you're attacking me. Are YOU sure? Think about it and get back to me.

Anonymous said...

I do not borrow quotes or ideas from movies as that would undermine my creativity and or intelect. I am not attacking you, just making an observation. You seem to be a person who attempts to enlighten others, I too practice a similar agenda. Having observed your posts there have been times you come off as a bit cocky or you seem to talk down to the ones that only see what they are fed. And on another note, if I were to enlighten you about who the true enemies of society/humanity really are, you would not believe me, as being the product of conventional American education, you have been brainwashed. Don't take any of this as a personal assault it is not meant to put you on the defensive, only to stimulate thinking on a different level.

Anonymous said...

Oh please, omniscient one...have pity and enlighten this poor simpleton…