A bill is before the state legislature which would allow voters in some municipalities to decide if they want to add a transfer tax when up-market homes are sold. The money collected would have to be used for the preservation of open space.
The tax would come to 2% of the portion of the sale price that exceeds the median sale price in that municipality
That is - if the median price for a home is $300,000 then the sale of a home that sells for $300,000 or less would not be taxed. If the home sold for more than that then the amount above $300,000 would be taxed 2%.
The bill doesn’t force any municipality to charge this tax. It gives a municipality the right to ask its voters if they want to have this tax.
That is, it gives voters that right if they live in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam.
Orange County voters will not have that right.
Why?
Because the sponsor of the bill (a State Senator named Vincent Leibell, from Patterson, NY) took Orange County out of his bill.
And why would he do that?
Because he was told that the Orange County Legislature didn’t want to be in the bill.
The thing is, the Orange County Legislature never said that. They were never even asked.
Instead, our pals, State Senators Bill Larkin and John Bonacic made up their minds for them.
And why would they do that?
They say that no one in the County Legislature asked them to include Orange. But then again, they never discussed it with anyone in the County Legislature.
Also, we are told that “Bonacic said he wants municipalities to have more latitude over how the money should be directed.”
Bonacic says: "I want each municipality to have the discretion over how the money should be spent," he said. "It could be for open space, housing — whatever they want."
So, John Bonacic is concerned that the bill doesn’t give us enough choice and his solution is to see to it that we don’t get any choice at all.
It is, no doubt, merely coincidental that builders, developers and real estate brokers strongly oppose the bill. Surely our state senators wouldn’t ask those folks how they felt about the bill without asking the County Legislators or the voters.
The tax would come to 2% of the portion of the sale price that exceeds the median sale price in that municipality
That is - if the median price for a home is $300,000 then the sale of a home that sells for $300,000 or less would not be taxed. If the home sold for more than that then the amount above $300,000 would be taxed 2%.
The bill doesn’t force any municipality to charge this tax. It gives a municipality the right to ask its voters if they want to have this tax.
That is, it gives voters that right if they live in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam.
Orange County voters will not have that right.
Why?
Because the sponsor of the bill (a State Senator named Vincent Leibell, from Patterson, NY) took Orange County out of his bill.
And why would he do that?
Because he was told that the Orange County Legislature didn’t want to be in the bill.
The thing is, the Orange County Legislature never said that. They were never even asked.
Instead, our pals, State Senators Bill Larkin and John Bonacic made up their minds for them.
And why would they do that?
They say that no one in the County Legislature asked them to include Orange. But then again, they never discussed it with anyone in the County Legislature.
Also, we are told that “Bonacic said he wants municipalities to have more latitude over how the money should be directed.”
Bonacic says: "I want each municipality to have the discretion over how the money should be spent," he said. "It could be for open space, housing — whatever they want."
So, John Bonacic is concerned that the bill doesn’t give us enough choice and his solution is to see to it that we don’t get any choice at all.
It is, no doubt, merely coincidental that builders, developers and real estate brokers strongly oppose the bill. Surely our state senators wouldn’t ask those folks how they felt about the bill without asking the County Legislators or the voters.
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Just in....
Ousted Orange wants back in land-preservation bill
By Chris McKenna
Times Herald-Record
June 08, 2007
Goshen — With less than 24 hours to deliberate, Orange County lawmakers made a hurried request yesterday to include the county in a land-preservation bill that nobody in Albany had bothered to tell them about.
The bill would let Hudson Valley towns and cities tax property sales without each having to ask the state Legislature for permission. Orange County was one of four counties originally included, but its name was removed Monday on the advice of two state senators.
Proceeds of the real estate transfer tax could be used to buy and preserve scenic land, among other purposes.
Having just learned of the bill, Orange County lawmakers discussed it Wednesday night and then held a heated debate yesterday on whether to pass a resolution in support of it. Their attorney had quickly drawn up such a resolution.
Supporters urged their colleagues to act before state lawmakers end their session this month. They pointed out the bill wouldn't impose a tax, but merely empower towns to ask voters if they wanted to do so. "All we're doing here is giving municipalities the option," said Wayne Decker, D-Cuddebackville, the Democratic minority leader.
Opponents said the bill warranted a longer discussion. One warned that giving municipalities the option meant that few would resist. "People think green space, open space, and they think it's a great idea and they're going to jump on it," said Alan Seidman, R-Salisbury Mills. "But I don't think they understand the full implications of this."
The vote was 15-6 in favor, giving supporters the two-thirds majority they needed. Whether Orange County makes it back remains to be seen. The Senate sponsor said Wednesday that he was eager to help but that it might mean including the county later.
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