No sooner did the Dutchess County citizens’ bipartisan tax policy committee release the results of its six-month scrutiny into the fairness and adequateness of the county’s tax practices then the tax-and-spend Democrats of the Dutchess County Legislature voted to raise county property taxes in 2008 by a whopping 4 percent.
As Republicans work hard to maintain the strong quality of life that has made Dutchess County a sought-after place to live, too frequently Democrats in the county Legislature have been reckless in their voting habits and counter-productive to the fiscal health of the county through their tax-and-spend philosophy.
Democrats voted in unison to welcome an annual 4 percent increase to the taxpayers’ property taxes by rejecting an extension of the county’s net service contract with its Resource Recover Agency. The contract extension was the fiscally prudent decision so as to finance a Clean Air Act-compliant debt over a longer period of time – much like refinancing a home mortgage. Yet, rather than voting with Republicans to refinance for a lower rate, Democrats rejected the best rates for Dutchess County taxpayers. Republicans had enough votes (albeit only one) to ward off the attempted Democrat tax increase, but even so, taxpayers should be on alert.
I find it tragically ironic that Democrats sought to unfairly raise taxes in the very same meeting where the Tax Policy Review Committee released their findings that county taxes were “fair and adequate.”
The tax policy committee – comprised of both Republican and Democrat citizens – examined the current tax system and concluded the system was “adequate”; “the required finances needed to meet the demand for public services are achievable”; “the county continues to receive excellent bond ratings”; the county is successful in providing required services within financial bounds”; and that the system was “fair as can be expected given the complexity of and limitations on county tax policy.” While concluding that “no drastic measures need to be taken at this time,” the committee said the adequacy and fairness could be “jeopardized” if property taxes continue to rise.
Rather than listening to the tax committee – and seeking to lower property taxes – my Democrat colleagues on the county Legislature did the exact opposite of the tax committee’s recommendations and took the first step toward “jeopardizing” the adequacy and fairness of county taxes by voting to raise property taxes by an additional 4 percent.
Either the Democrats don’t read the tax committee report, weren’t listening when it was explained to the Legislature or they simply don’t understand simple economics.
The Democrats’ vote against refinancing a Resource Recovery Agency bond to avoid this 4 percent tax increase was not the Democrats’ first financial blunder of late.
In May, all 12 Democrats voted against releasing mortgage tax revenues to the local towns that could have created mass chaos to municipal budgets. Democrat leaders later said they were “confused” and “mistaken” about the resolution. The chaos was avoided because the Republicans were vigilant and paying attention.
Just as the Republican majority defeated the Democrats’ attempt to raise property taxes 4 percent in the RRA contract extension, our slight Republican majority blocked the Democrats from denying local governments their right to collect mortgage tax revenues. This would have meant a big money loss to the Town of Poughkeepsie, who the Democrats would have deprives of over $1 million. It would have cost Hyde Park over $427,000, over $124,000 in Washington, over $211,000 in Rhinebeck, over $373,000 in Beacon and over $386,000 in LaGrange. In Fishkill the lost revenue would have amounted to over $427,000, in Amenia, over $92,000, in Wappingers, over $539,000, in Clinton, over $196,000 and similar numbers throughout the county’s 30 local governments. Clearly Democratic legislators are not representing their voters properly. Each of the above mentioned towns is represented by a Democratic legislator.
(David Kelly is a Republican county legislator and the chairman of the Budget, Finance and Personnel Committee)