Author Topic: What do you like the LEAST about Erie Canal Village Life - Take our Poll (Read 155 times)

Doug K · « **on:** April 02, 2020, 03:11:00 pm »

The ECNA is conducting a few polls, for members & guests, regarding what people like most about living in older Villages along the Erie Canal.

It's hopefully going to start a new conversation in our area about the "value" we are getting for the high cost of having this lowest level of New York State government still operating. Even though NYS Lawmakers have already stated that Village Government is a burden to taxpayers, and an unnecessary level of legislation that can be consolidated or dissolved. They have sited the excessive VILLAGE government as one of the reasons why New York is the HIGHEST taxed state in America

Lawmakers said all this in 2010 when they passed the New York State Government Reorganization And Citizen Empowerment Act, or GRACE

You can read about that here: https://ecna.us/nys-govt-reduction-act-village-dissolution/

What do you like the LEAST about Erie Canal Village Life - Take our Poll

If own a home and you live in any Village within New York State, you are "blessed with having to pay an "extra" Property Tax every year. It's used to support local Village Government, it's called the Village Tax, and the majority of it pays for a redundant layer of government, though salaries, health care & pensions.

The rest of the Town only pays School & County Tax bills, which also found the Town your Village is a part of.

The Villagers pay this third tax simply because they are a "captive" audience, there homes lie within something called an Incorporated Village Boundary. Inside the line you are forced to pay on average about $17,000 per DAY to have a Village Government make decisions for the 2 square miles of land your home resides in. Some villages, with less "fluff" may pay around $4000, some Villages are costing these select taxpayers as much as $30,000 per day to run.

If you are across the street from the Village Line, you pay nothing, even though you most likely use the same Village as much as your neighbor.

And all of this EXTRA TAX is not required according to the GRACE changes & NYS Lawmakers. Because the TOWN already is providing the same type of service, to many more residents all around the Village, usually for a better value for all.

In fact the Lawmakers are so certain that the Town & Village residents will be MUCH better off if they consolidate the Village into the Town (or Dissolve it Outright) that they are willing to PAY for the Government Reorganization Study & Plan and also offer any Towns that have a village dissolve additional State Funding to pay for more work that the Town may have inherited with the change.

The ECNA is advocating for Village Leadership to accept the GRACE findings and ask the State of NY to help Village Taxpayers get some much needed relief. We are simply asking Village Leadership to order the Government Reorganization Plan themselves, from the state, and serve their constituents to the best of their ability by accepting that local government can be more efficient with less layers, less bureaucracy and elimination of Village Taxes

Please take the time to answer the Poll, let your voice be heard.

You can check on your own Village Reorganization efforts here: https://ecna.us/grace/

Or Scan the QR Code with your Smartphone Camera

Doug K · « **Reply #1 on:** May 21, 2020, 09:22:26 am »

Look up Apathy in the Dictionary... It's the same as 50+ people looking at an Online Poll and only 5 people taking the time to add their thoughts.

Everyone seems to have opinions on Barge Canal Embankment Safety, Re-imagining a new Canal, and even how Village Taxes can be reigned in.

But few people, if any, actually care enough to get involved and try to initiate changes that will help increase the public's safety or their put money back in their wallets.

APATHY... right along with IGNORANCE these two seem to be the mantra for many folks today... "I don't know, and I don't care"

News:

Poll

What are the main reasons why the Village should Reorganize with the Town?

Author Topic: What do you like the LEAST about Erie Canal Village Life - Take our Poll (Read 155 times)

Doug K

What do you like the LEAST about Erie Canal Village Life - Take our Poll

Doug K

Re: What do you like the LEAST about Erie Canal Village Life - Take our Poll