Personally, I think we need to maintain or increase are funding of Proctor's -- it has been and will continue to be a major part of the Renaissance of Schenectady.
They have a great line-up scheduled for 2011-2011.
DV, if the line up is so great at Proctors, then can you explain why people who drive through the city should suffer damage to their cars which they have to pay out of their own pocket to have their cars repaired. Explain why homeonwers on Kings Rd should have to pay their own taxes, pay the property taxesd for Proctors, AND pay to have their house fixed because their tax dollars are going to Proctors rather than having roads fixed?
If Proctors has such a great lineup, and since it allegely brought in $5 million in one month alone from the Lion King, then tell us WHY, WHY can't it survive on it's own? I remember going to the Schenectady Civic Playhose probably 35 years ago, they didn't get $30 million and they have survived. I wish that SLOC didn't get all the money from the taxpayers because those tax dollars could have been used on necssities.
Like someone said, we're not against Proctors. I've been to shows, I enjoy it, but it must NOT be done on the tax dollar. If the city was thriving and had no money worries, and if homeowners saw their houses appreciate and had low taxes, then, maybe a gift to a theater might be ok.
But tell us DV, how has Proctors benefitted the city. If so many people alledly are coming here, then explain why the taxes in the city are increaseing, why are the taxes in the city one of the highest in the whole U.S.? Tell us how Proctor's has benefitted the city.....what has happened to the crime rate? What has happened to property values? What has happened to property taxes? What has happened to fire and police serivce. Tell us about about the rate of vacant houses. How about the number of houses for sale. How many good jobs have been created (good jobs does NOT mean popcorn poppers, ticket takers, fingernail painters, bank tellers, maids and the like). Tell us how many of those high paid state employees in DOT moved into the city (you could check the see through ny website, put in DOT regional office and check the names against the tax rolls and see what date people bought the houses. Betcha I could count on one hand the number of DOT employees ---management or little clerks---that have moved here.
Now, before you start talking about places like Marcellas and the sale tax, just remember DV the sale tax goes TO THE COUNTY IN WHICH THE PURCHASER LIVES!!!!!!!!!!! So Marcellas location, merely a move from one location to another, does NOT generate any additional sales tax to the county
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