Competing business are going to LOSE that business to the bagel shop... Whether it is Burger King or Brueggers... Those other businesses are NOT getting all these handouts, and now they are put at a disadvantage because this new place is!
I have no problem with some incentives like this.
The absolute absurdity of it is that the morons in charge are giving HUGE property tax benefits on EVERY damn project they promote downtown and none of it is helping the overburdened taxpayers of the city and county.
Bruegger's is up on Upper Union Street ... so I don't believe that a shop 4 or 5 miles away would take away any business. Burger King is a completely different type of business. Some folks will still get their Whoppers at Burger King and other folks will buy bagels at this new bagel shop. Personally, I will buy my bagels at Bagels and Bites on Curry Road.
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
Competing business are going to LOSE that business to the bagel shop... Whether it is Burger King or Brueggers... Those other businesses are NOT getting all these handouts, and now they are put at a disadvantage because this new place is!
I have no problem with some incentives like this.
The absolute absurdity of it is that the morons in charge are giving HUGE property tax benefits on EVERY damn project they promote downtown and none of it is helping the overburdened taxpayers of the city and county.
You are absolutely correct. Shifting the tax burden to the residents is shameful. The metroplex was originally designed to 'attract' businesses to equalize the tax burden for both the residents and the businesses. Presently, the residents are shouldering practically the full load. It's not only a financial mess.....it is a disgrace!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Bruegger's is up on Upper Union Street ... so I don't believe that a shop 4 or 5 miles away would take away any business. Burger King is a completely different type of business. Some folks will still get their Whoppers at Burger King and other folks will buy bagels at this new bagel shop. Personally, I will buy my bagels at Bagels and Bites on Curry Road.
Mike's Hot Dogs (a family run business for 30+ years) is a half a block down. They have never received a Plex slush fund and this bagel shop directly competes with them in the morning breakfast crowd. The airport diner is a little further away - it will take their business as well. And the Stewarts near Mikes? Come on, MacDonald is opening tax free businesses with little employment opportunity and getting Metroplex and tax free incentives.
Abolish the Metroplex in 2011, it's a scam and it's only helping a handful of individuals, and not helping the the City or County taxpayers at all!!
Mike's Hot Dogs (a family run business for 30+ years) is a half a block down. They have never received a Plex slush fund and this bagel shop directly competes with them in the morning breakfast crowd. The airport diner is a little further away - it will take their business as well. And the Stewarts near Mikes? Come on, MacDonald is opening tax free businesses with little employment opportunity and getting Metroplex and tax free incentives.
Abolish the Metroplex in 2011, it's a scam and it's only helping a handful of individuals, and not helping the the City or County taxpayers at all!!
Stewarts, Mike's, the airport diner, and the bagel place --- 4 different businesses with different pools of customers --- it isn't even direct competition.
Oh -- and since sales tax is paid, income tax is paid, and the pilot is phased out in percentages ....... your statement that it is a "tax free business" is a LIE.
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
DV, have you ever been to any part of Schenectady other than the miracle 1/2 mile?!? Mike's is a breakfast hangout along with Stewarts which are not even a stones throw away from the Gillette House. Why don't you google it - get a street view!
Mike's is a family run institution which pays property, school, income, sales and all the other bogus fees and taxes the City throws at them. MacDonald DOES NOT PAY PROPERTY TAXES on any of their properties- they don't pay all the fees that the other Schenectady businesses and homeowners do. They receive grants through Metroplex to open their doors. They are not independent, they are a county and city funded for-profit business. They take the tax dollars and do pay their share of property taxes or City fees. Two counter help positions - not a real help to the vast unemployment in the City.
DV, have you ever been to any part of Schenectady other than the miracle 1/2 mile?!? Mike's is a breakfast hangout along with Stewarts which are not even a stones throw away from the Gillette House. Why don't you google it - get a street view!
Mike's is a family run institution which pays property, school, income, sales and all the other bogus fees and taxes the City throws at them. MacDonald DOES NOT PAY PROPERTY TAXES on any of their properties- they don't pay all the fees that the other Schenectady businesses and homeowners do. They receive grants through Metroplex to open their doors. They are not independent, they are a county and city funded for-profit business. They take the tax dollars and do pay their share of property taxes or City fees. Two counter help positions - not a real help to the vast unemployment in the City.
Your question is obviously a stupid one. I lived in the city ... I know my way around the city.
A bagel shop is not going to take business away from Mike's. If anything, the more businesses you have on Erie Blvd ... the more people you will attract to patronize businesses. It is a snow-ball effect. It is funny, you folks claim that a bagel shop will put the Burger King, Mike's and Stewarts out of business .. yet those 3 businesses have shared the same street for years and seem to be doing quite well.
The FACT is that the Stockade Inn, The Van Dyke and any business that gets Metroplex assistance generated sales tax revenue, the business and the employees pay income tax and - most importantly - the PILOT is reduced each year and eventually phased out ... so IN FACT they do pay property taxes.
The only reason that you folks are whining and complaining about Metroplex is because you folks (GOP) couldn't figure out how to do economic development when you folks ran the County Leg. Now you are miffed that the Democrats are actually accomplishing good things.
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
Pinhead Susan's - assessed at $399K, tax exempt $13,685 from 2002 until 2011
Stockade Inn - assessed at $1,217,500, tax exempt $206,160 from 2004 until 2013
Van Dyke - not even in the County Tax Real Property system??????
Schenectady has lost millions of dollars in property taxes from for profit businesses which do not even create a significant employment opportunity for the area.
I'm angry because I pay more taxes in one year than a for-profit business owner has paid to the City in the 10 years he's been here. I'm tired of paying for businesses. It's appauliung that my County tax money gives them grants and then they open a business, competing with family run establishments which have never received a dime from the County or City.
BTW either PinHead Susans will threatened to relocate or will get another tax break from the City for another 10 years. They'll never pay a dime in taxes.
Metroplex has proven that favoritism will allow certain businessowners a free ride in Schenectady while they ignore businesses which actually PAY THEIR SALARIES! The City is a cesspool and the bottomfeeders have surfaced.
The Gillette House's taxes are zero because it was owned and abandoned by the Chamber of Commerce. Now that MacDonald took over it will be back on the City tax rolls. Ditto for the Millington House next door. Pilots are destroying City revenues but The Stockade Inn pays over $54,000 in City Taxes per year plus DSIC fees of over $8,000. To lump this in with taxpayer ripoffs like Key Bank Catering Hall and Bombers is incorrect.
The Gillette House has no historical value and was left in total disrepair by the County/Chamber. The City should have approved the drive thru. Whether this can work without a drive thru given the lack of pedestrian traffic remains to be seen. No one else wanted to buy it because of the outrageous record City taxes. All anger should be directed at the County for wasting a million on the "improvements". The City should be encouraging small businesses not putting up more roadblocks to private investment.
Some people fail to recognize the fact that 'sales tax' is clearly different than 'property tax' that should be shared equally between the residents and the businesses which is obviously not happening in schenectady. People are looking for relief with their 'property taxes'. I don't see people 'grieving' their sales tax!
Schenectadians can't even sell their homes due to the high taxes, a defunct school system, a corrupt police dept. and the crime rate. And those are just the 'apparent' issues. If they only knew about the underhanded corruption.
Many talk radio shows are actually telling people NOT to move to schenectady county! Schenectady is the laughing stock and all those who support it are looked at as the laughing stock as well.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
The way to grieve your sales tax is buy out of County. The Lee Outlets are booming with NY residents sick of being screwed at the cash register. This is why County sales tax revenues were flat compared to 2009. You can't buy anything decent in this County.
There no quality retail, no decent furniture stores, no high end car dealers, you have to go outside the County to buy decent clothes/shoes. Incomes are flat, taxes way up so no decent store will move here. Take another look at the rot at Rotterdam Square Mall. McDonald's fled and was replaced with an unmanned kiosk for some health plan.
It is funny, you folks claim that a bagel shop will put the Burger King, Mike's and Stewarts out of business .. yet those 3 businesses have shared the same street for years and seem to be doing quite well.
Yes, and they all pay property taxes. As long as the new bagel shop pay the same tax rates and fees, then I say open the bagel shop. If a bagel shop can offer a product at a lower cost because they aren't paying the same in taxes and overhead as their competitors, that is UNFAIR. If tax reductions and exemptions is good for the Schenectady economy, why doesn't Schenectady lower the rates of ALL SCHENECTADY BUSINESSES?
Yes, and they all pay property taxes. As long as the new bagel shop pay the same tax rates and fees, then I say open the bagel shop. If a bagel shop can offer a product at a lower cost because they aren't paying the same in taxes and overhead as their competitors, that is UNFAIR. If tax reductions and exemptions is good for the Schenectady economy, why doesn't Schenectady lower the rates of ALL SCHENECTADY BUSINESSES?
Burger King, Mike's and Stewarts can all apply for Metroplex assistance IF they are planning a new project that will add jobs. Invest in new buildings --- something that would attract more customers. Metroplex would be happy to help then.
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
How many jobs is a bagel cafe going to create? Three? Four? Give me a break!
Metroplex should be funding companies which will create a NUMBER of different jobs for the area, not some counterhelp.
Why do you think Schenectady was in its glory in the 1960's and 70's? Because GE had engineers, blue collar and white collar workers. Because a tax incentive was given to a company which would help a vast majority of people as well as bring in industry to the area.
Metroplex has proven that it will give away money to a conncted few for very little return to the City at large. Come pay my City taxes...you'll feel the pain too!
How many jobs is a bagel cafe going to create? Three? Four? Give me a break!
Metroplex should be funding companies which will create a NUMBER of different jobs for the area, not some counterhelp.
Why do you think Schenectady was in its glory in the 1960's and 70's? Because GE had engineers, blue collar and white collar workers. Because a tax incentive was given to a company which would help a vast majority of people as well as bring in industry to the area.
Metroplex has proven that it will give away money to a conncted few for very little return to the City at large. Come pay my City taxes...you'll feel the pain too!
4 new jobs is more than 0 new jobs. And the same tax incentives that we are using to draw business to Schenectady .. other communities used in the 60's and 70's and 80's to draw businesses away from Schenectady.
Speaking about wastes of money --- how come you don't jump down the back of the GOP State Senate and GOP Governor who spent like $2 billion of tax payer money to cut down Luther Forest to build the tech place there ------- were guys like Hugh Farley so stupid that they could not have thought to use that money in the cities of Albany, Schenectady, or Troy to build the same thing and without having to destroy an ecosystem to do it.
My guess is that Farley and Pataki were not paid off enough to bring the tech campus to Schenectady. Probably weren't offered free trips to Hawaii or Disneyworld.
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
Logged
The Gillette House's taxes are zero because it was owned and abandoned by the Chamber of Commerce. Now that MacDonald took over it will be back on the City tax rolls. Ditto for the Millington House next door. Pilots are destroying City revenues but The Stockade Inn pays over $54,000 in City Taxes per year plus DSIC fees of over $8,000. To lump this in with taxpayer ripoffs like Key Bank Catering Hall and Bombers is incorrect.
