Sorry, parent, but that program was doomed to fail from the start. There are a FEW young people wanting to buy houses here in the city, I know, I've met them, but they already passed on these house in the program, for the most part. If they had to pass up something they wanted, a classic house inthe city, in favor of something they didn't want as much, a subdivision where they have to spend more on gasoline and can't walk anywhere, they did that for a reason. McCheese and the bank are trying to get people to get in on a deal that smart buyers already passed up. It looks an awful lot to me like the kind of thing that caused the financial collapse. The bankers should know better, but they may as well take a chance, who pays if these deals do fall through? They've learned they can get away with it. What has to happen, these houses and ALL houses in Schenectady need to be reassessed. That will accomplish two things: The young buyers who want a house here will not be scared off. We need more intelligent people moving here, we don't need to attract any more stupid people, we have plenty of those. The other thing fixing the taxes will accomplish is stopping the exodus of people who are being taxed out of their homes. That is immoral as well as undesirable. McCheese is trying desperately to keep the values of the houses equivalent to the outrageous taxes. Can't be done, SHOULD NOT be done, but they big greed festival is going to crash and he knows it. He's bailing water on the Titanic.
Sorry, parent, but that program was doomed to fail from the start. There are a FEW young people wanting to buy houses here in the city, I know, I've met them, but they already passed on these house in the program, for the most part. If they had to pass up something they wanted, a classic house inthe city, in favor of something they didn't want as much, a subdivision where they have to spend more on gasoline and can't walk anywhere, they did that for a reason. McCheese and the bank are trying to get people to get in on a deal that smart buyers already passed up. It looks an awful lot to me like the kind of thing that caused the financial collapse. The bankers should know better, but they may as well take a chance, who pays if these deals do fall through? They've learned they can get away with it. What has to happen, these houses and ALL houses in Schenectady need to be reassessed. That will accomplish two things: The young buyers who want a house here will not be scared off. We need more intelligent people moving here, we don't need to attract any more stupid people, we have plenty of those. The other thing fixing the taxes will accomplish is stopping the exodus of people who are being taxed out of their homes. That is immoral as well as undesirable. McCheese is trying desperately to keep the values of the houses equivalent to the outrageous taxes. Can't be done, SHOULD NOT be done, but they big greed festival is going to crash and he knows it. He's bailing water on the Titanic.
Excellent points Madam.
Slumlords and non-vested buyers will only continue this City of apathy. Without hard-working people owning homes, this City is doomed..we're seeing it already. It effects everything..the neighborhood climate, the schools progress, the City's ability to move forward AND the taxbase. When people do not want to live here and you can't give the properties away, you've backed into a corner you'll never get out of.
Schenectady thrived in the 50's, 60's and early 70's because there were JOBS! Metroplex has spend hundreds of millions and still hasn't brought jobs into the City. Therefore, if the Plex has failed, let's revoke every single tax-evading business Downtown. Let's collect on the non-interest loans the plex has handed out, let's 'review' the bad PILOTS and let's collect the millions owed...NOW!!
The taxbase is decimated and can easily be repaired if the damage the Plex has done is corrected. It can be done.
Every Metroplex handout should come with a clause that makes 75% employment from Schenectady city residents mandatory, as part of their grants, loans and tax exemptions.
Every Metroplex handout should come with a clause that makes 75% employment from Schenectady city residents mandatory, as part of their grants, loans and tax exemptions.
At least a minimum per thousand spent. For every million, 1,000 jobs.
We could have had hundreds of thousands employed persons if the Plex had a game plan from the very start. Now we're out millions and are left with what....not even 3,000 jobs???
At least a minimum per thousand spent. For every million, 1,000 jobs. We could have had hundreds of thousands employed persons if the Plex had a game plan from the very start. Now we're out millions and are left with what....not even 3,000 jobs??? Criminal.
Popcorn jobs! Metrograft needs to be abolished not reformed. When is someone going to put a list of DEM contributors next to a list of Metrograft recipients? When donkeys fly? Raising the most regressive of taxes the sales tax to fund millionaire developers is criminal.
A couple of houses up here sold at auction in December. Another one over on Eastern Parkway sold because the owners and realtor bit the bullet and listed it at a realistic price and let it be known that they were ready to consider offers. Another one near the two that were auctioned sold as well. What these house had in common is one) no city program involved and two) the owners did not want the property and would do what was necessary to unloadit. People who bought during the 'bubble' and don't feel that they can take the financial hit cannot sell their houses because with 'bubble' assessments ontop of Schenectady's already too-high taxes, they would have to drastically cut their asking price. The houses that I know of which sold did not have mortgages, so they had more flexibility in pricing.
NOBODY wants to move to schenectady...(sorry Parent)
the properties are hyper-assessed while the actual sales price is, in most cases at least 1/2 of the assessed values. someone we know actually was told, by their realitor, that if they bought a home in the city, there would be no sense greiving the taxes cause the city needs every dime they can get. So NO taxes will be lowered. If they could be, there wouldn't be so many homes either vacant or up for sales....for years!!!
schenectady is nothing more than a 'welfare haven' with non-profits EVERYWHERE....and they ain't workin either!
it's really too bad cause there really are some cute homes in SCUMnectady. But between the hyper-inflated taxes, low home values, a substandard school system, the drug dealers/addicts and the daily crime....no ones buyin'. Not even proctors can save the day!
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
There's a beautiful house at 1110 Athol Road in the GE Realty Plot.
The city claims it will sell for $179,400.
It was listed in August 2012 for $139,900
Price dropped to $135,000 in October
Few interested in buying a house in Schenectady. Listing removed in December
Must be the owners saw their DRASTIC INCREASE in taxes in order to pay for King Phillip's gold (ceiling), so they listed the house again, changed realtors still asking only $135,000.
Interest rates at historic lows, taxpayer handouts to buy a home in Schenectady, claims that the city is in a grand renaissance, wonder fi a cheerleader will buy it? ROFL
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
Logged
Popcorn jobs! Metrograft needs to be abolished not reformed. When is someone going to put a list of DEM contributors next to a list of Metrograft recipients? When donkeys fly? 
