Several important governmental resolutions mark the transition into 2014, all having to do with the application by Wilmorite Corporation to the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency (UCIDA) for a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement. Granting such a PILOT would enable Wilmorite to avoid paying sales and real estate taxes on a $50 million for-profit rental project on Route 32 South. This would, in effect, transfer the responsibility for the payment of at least $40 million of commercial real estate taxes onto the backs of the taxpayers of New Paltz, Gardiner, Esopus and the rest of Ulster County over the next 25 years.
The Town of New Paltz Planning Board’s resolution:
“Our board asks our Planning Board attorney to begin researching — using the SEQRA framework — how to construct a findings statement that is conditional on no PILOT and full taxation for Park Point because adverse impacts cannot be mitigated.”
The New Paltz Town Board’s resolution:
“The Town Board does not believe that the requested PILOT is necessary for this project. Further, the Town Board finds no evidence in the record that the applicant has demonstrated that the PILOT will accomplish the objectives set out in the mission statement of the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency.”
The New Paltz Central School District Board of Education’s resolution:
“BE IT RESOLVED that the New Paltz Central School District Board of Education declares its opposition to any PILOT agreements that result in a reduction of real property taxes versus full taxation based on a full market value assessment determined by the New Paltz assessor’s office; and
“BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Paltz Central School District Board of Education calls on the UCIDA to recognize the district’s position that PILOT agreements have an adverse impact on school districts due to the tax levy limit formula.”
The above resolutions were not arrived at in haste, nor without a great deal of research and debate. The focus now shifts to the Ulster County IDA, which will be coming to town on Jan. 28 to hold a public hearing on Wilmorite’s PILOT application for a basically ‘tax-free’ Park Point project. Not, however, tax-free for the rest of us. So, should you feel inclined to make a new year’s resolution regarding this issue, you might consider following the lead of our local government and school district representatives by making a resolution to take a stand on the matter and to voice it publicly. The public hearing, scheduled to take place at New Paltz High School on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m., would provide a relevant and meaningful forum for such an action.
Random acts of kindness
Maybe it’s the holiday season or perhaps my own seeking out of examples of actions that are consistent with the oft referred to ‘spirit’ of the season. Regardless, in the past several weeks I’ve either seen or personally experienced a number of acts of courtesy and kindness. On at least six occasions I observed or benefitted from drivers who allowed vehicles to merge onto Main Street from the Rite Aid Plaza, traffic even stopping in both directions to allow the dreaded left-hand turn onto Main. Another example of driving courtesy routinely occurs at M&T Bank, especially during the afternoon hours, when one of a long line of drivers heading south on North Manheim allows a customer exiting the bank to merge, even though the light at that intersection is notoriously short, permitting only a half dozen or so cars through at a time.
Other small courtesies were extended when people held doors for me or invited me to go ahead of them in line when I had only a couple of items, and (and this may be due to my age!) helped me carry holiday packages as I shopped for gifts this season. Thank you all.
Join the family! 
