Quoted from Madam X

I would like to point out that quite a number of residents of Rotterdam, back in the day, were quite happy without the infrastructure to enable rapid, poorly planned development, or sprawl, as it's known. I know people who lived out in the area near Rotterdam Square, if they wanted lights, noise, traffic, crowds, they would have bought property in Schenectady. Lots of people were content with just a small number of local businesses, and they would save their shopping for when they went into the city. These people weren't backward for not wanting things to change. Has Rotterdam changed for the better?

EXACTLY!!!!! turning towns into cities isn't always progress. Rotterdam was an after war GE drone worker town.

Quoted from Madam X

I would like to point out that quite a number of residents of Rotterdam, back in the day, were quite happy without the infrastructure to enable rapid, poorly planned development, or sprawl, as it's known. I know people who lived out in the area near Rotterdam Square, if they wanted lights, noise, traffic, crowds, they would have bought property in Schenectady. Lots of people were content with just a small number of local businesses, and they would save their shopping for when they went into the city. These people weren't backward for not wanting things to change. Has Rotterdam changed for the better?

Yes, they were backward.  Rotterdam didn't manage its economic development well between 1950 and today.  We got the sprawl in the worse possible way -- and no infrastructure or other positive things to show for it.    We don't have the property tax base nor the conveniences.  There are much smaller towns in the rural  Deep South and out west that have done a much better job -- put in the proper infrastructure, got good economic development (not spawl) and now have lower tax rates and a better quality of life.

No, they weren't backward, for the reasons I've said. The only thing backward is you, for getting what I said backwards.

DV is most assuredly right. I remember distinctly when Rotterdam could have had sewers constructed with mostly federal and state monies. The seniors at that time voted it down fearing the cost would be too much for them. It was up to the administration at that time to educate them to the contrary. In the end the sewer system would have brought greater economic development to this Town. We are still paying 40 years later for that mistake! Now we prevail on a developer to install sewers if he wants to build. All that does is scares them away... We will always be a bedroom community because of shortsightedness.  

But keyman, what's wrong with being a bedroom community?

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Yes, they were backward.  Rotterdam didn't manage its economic development well between 1950 and today.  We got the sprawl in the worse possible way -- and no infrastructure or other positive things to show for it.    We don't have the property tax base nor the conveniences.  There are much smaller towns in the rural  Deep South and out west that have done a much better job -- put in the proper infrastructure, got good economic development (not spawl) and now have lower tax rates and a better quality of life.

           It has been proven that the PILOTs have NEVER reduced anyone's tax bill 1 cent.  A larger tax base translates into funding more "lob jobs".  Rottendam has the highest paid police force in the capital district, case in point.  Look at any Town Board agenda and track all the "appointees" put on payroll.  Secondly, it is not just the sewer costs, but also the upgrade costs to expand the treatment plant, and the additional staff and upkeep of a larger plant.  Until DV can show how ANY project in Rottendam has lowered anyone's taxes by 1 cent, the "backwards" septic people continue to prove to be the smartest!

We have the infrastructure here in the city, now we have "no money" to maintain and repair it. That wasn't very forward thinking, was it?

Quoted from AVON

           It has been proven that the PILOTs have NEVER reduced anyone's tax bill 1 cent.  A larger tax base translates into funding more "lob jobs".  Rottendam has the highest paid police force in the capital district, case in point.  Look at any Town Board agenda and track all the "appointees" put on payroll.  Secondly, it is not just the sewer costs, but also the upgrade costs to expand the treatment plant, and the additional staff and upkeep of a larger plant.  Until DV can show how ANY project in Rottendam has lowered anyone's taxes by 1 cent, the "backwards" septic people continue to prove to be the smartest!

SPOT ON!!!!
I wouldn't trust the town of rottendam's elected officials with one more dime. They too......just like the city.........squander tax money! Septic is more controllable and cheaper by far!!!!! When folks pay to have a new septic system installed.....or just pumped out.....they are actually getting what they paid for. Not so when the local yocals (town leaders) control tax payer's $$$$$ ! imho

Quoted from keyman

DV is most assuredly right. I remember distinctly when Rotterdam could have had sewers constructed with mostly federal and state monies. The seniors at that time voted it down fearing the cost would be too much for them. It was up to the administration at that time to educate them to the contrary. In the end the sewer system would have brought greater economic development to this Town. We are still paying 40 years later for that mistake! Now we prevail on a developer to install sewers if he wants to build. All that does is scares them away... We will always be a bedroom community because of shortsightedness.  

And we homeowmers would be paying SUBTAIALLY HIGHER TAXS!!!!!!!!

Schenectady city has sewers and look at them -- the taxes are almost the highest in the whole country AND they have a very high sewer fee (plus  a very high cost water fee) - neither of these fees (taxes) are tax deductible.  And their taxes are going up up up, the fees are going up up up, the ESSENTIAL city services are going DWON, the tax base is falling DRASTICALLY, peoples home values are tanking, houses are not selling, home sale prices are the lowest in all the capital region.

Quoted from mikechristine1

And we homeowmers would be paying SUBTAIALLY HIGHER TAXS!!!!!!!!

Schenectady city has sewers and look at them -- the taxes are almost the highest in the whole country AND they have a very high sewer fee (plus  a very high cost water fee) - neither of these fees (taxes) are tax deductible.  And their taxes are going up up up, the fees are going up up up, the ESSENTIAL city services are going DWON, the tax base is falling DRASTICALLY, peoples home values are tanking, houses are not selling, home sale prices are the lowest in all the capital region.

.....but they want to 'happily ice skate' in central park!!!!!

Yes, I do want ice skating in Central Park. Did anyone notice any savings resulting from doing away with the skating? Is that the choice, skating or sewers? That doesn't make sense.

Quoted from Madam X

Yes, I do want ice skating in Central Park. Did anyone notice any savings resulting from doing away with the skating? Is that the choice, skating or sewers? That doesn't make sense.

i'm not saying that people shouldn't 'happily skate' if they want to............HOWEVER..............there are MUCH bigger fish to fry in the city.
folks should be directing their concerns at the city meetings that go far and beyond 'happily skating'. imho

There is nothing wrong with being a bedroom community if you want to fund services solely on property taxes paid for by homeowners. History has shown because of the lack of economic developement in Schenectady when the GE made sure it was the only game in town, now services such as sewers have to be funded mostly by homeowners. Folks without a sewer system we will never attract real economic growth. Therefore taxes will always be a burden on our homeowners. Imho

Quoted from keyman

There is nothing wrong with being a bedroom community if you want to fund services solely on property taxes paid for by homeowners. History has shown because of the lack of economic developement in Schenectady when the GE made sure it was the only game in town, now services such as sewers have to be funded mostly by homeowners. Folks without a sewer system we will never attract real economic growth. Therefore taxes will always be a burden on our homeowners. Imho

But Keyman, just to inform you, GE pays NO PROPERTY AND NO SCHOOL TAXES either!!!!!!!!!

The dems in the city & county have chosen to give GE a 100% exemption form paying ANY taxes.

Don't bother with this "economic development" crap.   The so called "economic development" in Schenectady is nothing more than handouts by the homeowners to the ultra rich political cronies of the city/county/plex leaders.

The so called "economic development" has resulted in a DRASTIC REDUCTION in the tax base in the city, reductions in ESSSENTIAL services to the residents/homeowners/taxpayers in the city while spending the taxpayers money on UNNCESSARTY things such as STUPID "fancy light poles" on Erie Blvd (while the northern side of Erie Blvd is very badly in need to a total repaving not in the least related to the winter potholes).  This so called "economic development" has resulted in peoples home values falling, it has resulted in people being unable to sell their homes (some have job transfers, some want to downsize, some just flee the high taxes), home sale prices tanking while all around the city sale prices are rising.  This so called "economic development" has resulted in a handful of low paid dishwasher, maid, and popcorn maker jobs.

The owners of the businesses that are part of this so called "economic development" are NOT living IN the city, hell, most don't even live in the county!   I'd like to see a list to the contrary.

Most importantly, this so called "economic development" is causing a HUGE increase in tax bills for the people of the city, it is crushing them financially and they were struggling to begin with.  Then you get the city nitpicking--charging them with code violations and financially penalizing them over the size of the house numbers on their houses or maybe a little peeling paint, but the city isn't doing diddly squat about peeling paint, broken windows, absent railings, decrepit stairs, and improper size house numbers on the houses it owns, the city isn't doing a good job of keeping the sidewalks clear of snow or the lawns mowed on the houses it owns.  The city whines about lack of revenue from people not recycling, but it refuses to force people to recycle, and often just empties peoples recycling bins into the regular trash trucks.  


I'm not saying Rotterdam is perfect, but our taxes are no where near what Schenectady is and we pay SUBSTANTUIALLY LOWER cost for having septic.   What we pay for having septic, perhaps $150 every three years, the homeowner in the the city will pay about $700 to $900 in sewer fees in the same time frame.

ANY economic development has not lessened the tax burden. it is just squandered on created political positions OR public entities pay/benefits such as the cops.

like I said..........folks install/pump their septic system and they DO GET WHAT THEY PAY FOR.

Not the case when Gov Almighty is in control of the $$$$$$.