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Metroplex sales tax yields $3 million
John Purcell 02/24/11

Towns and Villages in Schenectady County received over $3 million in payments from Schenectady County in 2010 as the local share of Metroplex Development Authority sales tax revenue was distributed recently. Since 1999, when Metroplex was founded, municipalities have received $35.17 million.

“Schenectady County is pleased to provide this funding to towns and villages, which represents their share of the Metroplex sales tax revenue,” said Chairwoman of the Schenectady County Legislature Susan Savage in a statement on Tuesday, Feb. 22.

Metroplex receives 0.5 percent of the county sales tax, which 70 percent is used for projects and the remaining 30 percent is handed over to municipalities. Sales tax revenue increased by 2.65 percent in the county for 2010, which lead to the fifth highest overall local payment in Metroplex’s 12-year history.

“They get to use it for anything they want,” said Ray Gillen, chairman of Metroplex. “Most of them use it to lower the amount of taxes they have to raise from property tax owners.”

Gillen said he was pleased to see sales tax revenues continue to increase despite the difficult economy.
“It was a tough year for the national economy, so it was nice to see it go up,” said Gillen. “Even in a very tough economic climate we were able to see a sales tax increase.”

The results for 2010 funding and total funding since 1999 are as follows: Rotterdam with $1.01 million in 2010 and $11.8 million for total funding; Niskayuna with $724,845 in 2010 and $8.36 million overall; Scotia with $284,188 in 2010 and $3.27 million overall; Glenville with $722,424 in 2010 and $8.49 million overall; Duanesburg with $193,695 in 2010 and $2.23 million overall; Princetown with $76,268 in 2010 and $880,647 overall; Delanson with $13,619 in 2010 and $157,139 overall.........................>>>>.......................>>>>.....................http://www.spotlightnews.com/news/view_news.php?news_id=1298584480

Where is the City of Schenectady on this list?

Also, this is ALL the sales tax revenue from the County, not just from those businesses the Metroplex brought in. Where's the figures for those businesses the Plex established? That's the number we need and then compare that to the amount of money the Plex has spent in loans and grants.

When's the next audit?!

Quoted from rachel72

Where is the City of Schenectady on this list?

Also, this is ALL the sales tax revenue from the County, not just from those businesses the Metroplex brought in. Where's the figures for those businesses the Plex established? That's the number we need and then compare that to the amount of money the Plex has spent in loans and grants.

When's the next audit?!

when you go to the site to look up metroplex audits....they are like here and there....missed/done/missed/done.....

So are the towns actually 'losing' .30/dollar or 'gaining' .70/dollar compared to pre-plex?

Simply put...........what where the towns getting before the plex?

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when you go to the site to look up metroplex audits....they are like here and there....missed/done/missed/done.....

The audits to which you refer are, I believe, those initiated and paid for by the Metroplex Authority itself.  There has been only one audit performed by the NYS Comptroller's Office in the 11 years since the public authority was founded, that being in 2009.  Since by state law, public authorities are supposed to be audited by New York State at a minimum of once every five years, I assume that the next will be done in 2014.

http://www.rotterdamny.info/SchenectadyMetroplexAudit2009.pdf

Quoted from 78

The audits to which you refer are, I believe, those initiated and paid for by the Metroplex Authority itself.  There has been only one audit performed by the NYS Comptroller's Office in the 11 years since the public authority was founded, that being in 2009.  Since by state law, public authorities are supposed to be audited by New York State at a minimum of once every five years, I assume that the next will be done in 2014.

http://www.rotterdamny.info/SchenectadyMetroplexAudit2009.pdf

gotcha.....thanks....I like info.....

From the Metroplex Authority Section 2664: Return of Monies to the County

The Metroplex is required to put not less than 5% of its revenues into a reserve fund AND to deposit into its construction and development account enough money for anticipated projects. If the Metroplex has no money left over:

"Then the Authority shall NOT be required to return ANY funds to the County of Schenectady for that fiscal year."

So, the question is, has the Metroplex given any money back to the County this, or any other year? It's totally incorrect to imply that a few downtown restaurants in the City supply a majority of the sales tax in the entire County.

What, was the Gazetto not willing to have another Plexy-rose-colored-glass piece?

Quoted from rachel72

Where is the City of Schenectady on this list?

It's not ever on any list because the City gets no direct funding. There "benefit" is all the alleged economic activity Metrograft has created on the miracle 2 blocks. So what if it's all tax exempt? Like the well run parking lots, the Big Hose Gin Mill, Van Dyke I and II.

Quoted from rachel72

Where is the City of Schenectady on this list?

Also, this is ALL the sales tax revenue from the County, not just from those businesses the Metroplex brought in. Where's the figures for those businesses the Plex established? That's the number we need and then compare that to the amount of money the Plex has spent in loans and grants.

When's the next audit?!

It is my understanding that when Metroplex was set up (Neil Golub, Roger Hull, Bob Farley, etc) it was an entity for the City of Schenectady. Because it gets its funding from one-half of one percent of the sales taxes collected and it was a City of Schenectady entity in order for it to be fair it had to dole out a percentage to the rest of the municipalities in the county. In other words, because the county included the city's sale tax in its figures it had to come up with a reconciliation scheme.
The city receives $11,050,000 from the county directly for its sales tax share.

Please tell me that's 11,050,000 SINCE 1999 .. not just this year

http://wwe1.osc.state.ny.us/transparency/LocalGov/LocalGovSearchTrend.cfm

Why is it that every site I visit shows the sales tax collected in Sch'dy County going down along with PILOTS?



Sales tax revenue, while not stagnant, are increasing at a slow rate. The first quarter of 2010 sales tax collections remained consistent with 2009, but second quarter revenue raised by 1.6 percent to the comparable quarter from 2009.

Quoted from rpforpres

Why is it that every site I visit shows the sales tax collected in Sch'dy County going down along with PILOTS?

Yes, the recession but last year when every other surrounding County went way up Schenectady County kept stagnant. Another indictment of failed Metrograft and its phony tax and PILOT programs. Meanwhile, City/County spending keeps exploding. Then the DEMS wonder why they can't afford basic police and fire services. Blame Death Ray not just State Mandates.

     Retail has permanently left this for Colonie and Saratoga County. Take another look at RSM, St James in Nisky or lower State below Erie. Those were once stores. They are not coming back no matter how much blarney Death Ray/Gazetto/Landslide Savage spews. Have you heard Mercury Morris opened a tax exempt catering hall where a bank used to be? Big Whop!