New Rochelle Drops $144 Million Budget with 8.9% tax increase

10 thoughts on “New Rochelle Drops $144 Million Budget with 8.9% tax increase”

1. Taxes and more taxes
   Please remember that in addition to the almost 10% city tax increase, all New Ro residents will also likely see a 7.5% tax increase from the school district. Consider if you will the almost 1% decrease in funding for our schools from the State of NY – that’s almost $2 million dollars; consider the significant increase in tax certiorari’s that homeowners routinely win (without city or school opposition), this translates into another $3 million dollars (maybe more). Given the normal 3% increases with out school taxes, all of you are looking at least at a 17% tax increase. The city and school district need to implement a significant reality check when it comes to personnel utilization and expenses. Suggestions:
   – Do away with the Mayor’s office – savings is at least $85,000. It’s a do nothing position since we have a City Manager who oversees all city affairs.
   – Implement a city-wide job tracking system so that we know what all of our DPW employees are doing. There is significant downtime and just simply hanging out. To give an employee 8 hrs to clean a street or do a less than satisfactory job cleaning leaves on a street and then having to do it again, is nonsense.
   – Why hasn’t the city implemented new technology to do effective work of incompetent people. Other cities have purchased software that enables the tax dept, city clerk etc do a better job. Look at New Ro’s webpage. It is antiquated and any high school kid could do a better job.
   – Having trade employees in our schools simply hiding and not doing what they’re suppose to be doing says a lot about them, but more about their incompetent supervisors who turn a blind eye.
   – Many kids in the HS have two teachers for a class of 30. Why?
   – Why do we have department heads who teach one class a day and are just hanging out all day at the tune of $100,000 a year.
   – Why do we have a union official in our schools who teaches one sub-standard class a day and gets paid $105,000 a year to do union work. Great subsidy! who’s in bed with whom – literally!

   All of this are just a handful of examples that could alleviate costs. Dismissing NRPD or NRFD personnel is insane and dangerous. The city gives away money to developers who aren’t developing anything except profits and also gives away money to it’s commissioners. How many more are there?

   Do something about it. Attend the next session – kick out the Mayor and his cronies. They’re corrupt, dishonest and really do not care about the working class community. As for the Board of Ed, insist on transparency. Televise the proceedings. Share truthful information about our schools.

   1. Well said Left Out, but I
      Well said Left Out, but I disagree with some of your math but overall you have some great ideas. Taxes increases aren’t cumulative. For example, if the city tax goes up 9% and the school tax goes up 8%, that isn’t a 17% increase. It would be an average of the 2 and would be weighted towards the tax that started off highter.

      You’re 100% correct about the tax certiorari’s, this year should be especially good for the property owner (and bad for the city) because some genius left the equalization rate the same as last year and as anyone who pays attention to the news knows real estate values have only gone down so many, many, many, many, many property owners should qualify for assesment reduction. If readers haven’t thought about it, they should consider getting an appraisal with a 6/1/09 value now so you’re not rushing in the spring. The time to file the paper work is the 1st week of June.

      It seems ironic to me that while the city is “burning”, the mayor is organizing his 40th birthday party to raise money for his re-election campaign next year. Tells you where his priorities are.

2. New Rochelle Officials Out of Touch With City Residents
   Charles Strome and Noam Bramson once again prove that they do not care one bit about New Rochelle residents and home owners. By even having the nerve to suggest a property tax hike sends a clear message that they DO NOT CARE about the everyday hard working people that are currently suffering to make ends meet during these financial times. They are already cutting back necessary emergency service personnel in the Police and Fire Departments.

   New Rochelle residents would like to know why “The Fat” isn’t being trimmed at the top. Why is a part time mayor being paid $80,000 a year? Why are City Council members being paid over $30,000 a year? A part time mayor’s salary should be $15,000 a year and City Council members should only be earning maybe $5,000 a year. These positions were not intended for people to be making a living off of. These positions were created for working people within City Districts that would represent the district they were elected to represent.

   All City Officials and Board of Education Officials and Member should have a set yearly expense budget of no more then $1,000 maximum! As it stands right now, City and Board of Education Officials and Members are spending tax payers’ money, our money, on unnecessary and unjustified purchases. They are using our tax dollars for dining out, unnecessary trips, etc… If you could only see the amount of money they spend on dining and entertainment, you would be beyond shocked.

   All City Official and Board of Education Official vehicles should be sold! They should be driving to work in their own cars that are paid for by them, not by tax payers. They should have to pay for their own fuel at gas stations and not use fuel purchased by the City for Emergency and DPW vehicles.

   Strome and Bramson want you to believe they do things for the People of New Rochelle’s best interest. They are doing things for their best interest, themselves. If New Rochelle’s budget is that bad, why did they allow Domenic Procopio a “Free Ride” on paying back taxes? They knowingly have allowed Domenic Procopio to receive STAR Tax Exemptions on not one, but two properties and have also allowed him to receive Combat Vet Tax Exemptions on both properties as well. The issue is you are allowed STAR on only your primary residents and you must have served in any branch of the U.S. military and have fought in a war to receive Combat Vet Exemptions. Domenic Procopio never fought in any war because HE WAS NEVER A MEMBER OF ANY BRANCH OF THE U.S. MILITARY!!! Domenic Procopio has been receiving these tax exemptions for over 8 years and Strome and Bramson are letting him get away with it. Not only that, they didn’t even fire him as Chairperson of the Municipal Civil Service Commission. And I’m sure Domenic Procopio isn’t the only one.

   By allowing all these tax favors to people that are helping them politically, they are illegally robbing the City of earned taxes. Domenic Procopio, Cappelli Enterprises, Avalon Communities and the many other businesses and individuals that have been given “Favors” for “Favors”.

   Come November 2010, Election Day, the people will speak loud and clear just like they spoke loud and clear this past Election Day. “Enough is Enough, and we’re not going to take it any more!”

   1. Regarding Dominic Procopio’s
      Regarding Dominic Procopio’s STAR exemptions, I kinda remember somethinging on my STAR application that said if there was any fraud or if I signed up for multiple properties ect. that I would lose the exemption for life. If true then it would seem to me that not only does Mr. Procopio owe all of the back taxes, he should lose the STAR exemption on any other property he owns.

      What does he actually do for the city? The Journal News salary data base says he earned just under $3k in 2007. Even with that minuscule amount, its hard to beleive he’s still on the payroll.

      1. for life?
         I know that the City could, if they want, take away the STAR exemption on his primary residence (Liberty Ave) because he was improperly getting a second STAR exemption on 7 Pinebrook Road.

         The key here is that Chip Pirone, the City’s tax assessor, has complete discretion in how to handle the Procopio situation. The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance was quite clear on this point in my inquiry to them. Not only did they say the it solely up to Chip but that the State Constitution and the State Code specifically prohibit the State from getting involved, the exact opposite of what Pirone has claimed.

         Pirone could waive the entire amount or charge him for everything plus pile on fines and interest and take away all of his STAR exemptions or something in between. In fact, that is what Pirone has done. Chip has decided to charge him back for the Combat Veteran Exemptions, waive the STAR exemptions and allow him to keep his STAR exemption on his primary residence.

         All of these exemptions originate with the New York State legislature, and are administered through the Office of Real Property Services in the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance so there is no legal basis for treating unpaid taxes from an improper Combat Veteran exemption any differently that an improper STAR exemption. I do not know for sure but my guess is that since the Combat Vet money came to $2,500 and the STAR money would be over $10,000 — and that allowing him to keep the Combat Vet money would be political suicide for Bramson — they all agreed that Procopio would have to take one for the team here and cough up $2,500 to give them political cover. Another guess is that they will find a way to make Procopio whole down the road so he ends up not being out of pocket any money at all.

         It is hard to imagine a community where a City official could pocket over $10,000 in tax exemption money to which he was not entitled and get away with claiming he did not understand what the tax bills meant and then be let off the hook when the tax assessor waives 85% of the back due taxes and falsely blames “State policy” when the State says it is solely the decision of the tax assessor. Welcome to New Rochelle folks!

      2. In looking over the STAR
         In looking over the STAR application I just pulled up on the internet from the NYS Office of Real Property Service, it states quite clearly at the bottom of page 1 just above the signature line, “CAUTION: Anyone who misrepresents his or her primary residence, age or income shall be subject to a $100 penalty, shall be prohibited from receiving the STAR exemption for 5 years, and may be subject to criminal prosecution”.

         Hard (or not hard) to beleive that the City of New Rochelle isn’t going to enforce the law. Too bad the state leaves the policing of this to the communities. Seems that could create a lot of conflict of interest issues.

      3. “clerical error”
         Remember this is all just a little “clerical error”. The argument from the City will be that since Procopio did not apply for the STAR exemption he is not subject to that disclaimer on the form.

         Of course, the City has no proof one way or the other because, according to everyone I talked to at City Hall they have no record of how those exemptions came to exist. They say New York State law says they can toss all records more than six years old. That is, however, not the same thing as REQUIRING they toss those records. At the very least this case suggests that the City should change its policy to keeping tax emption records on file so long as the exemption is in place on a particularly property. As for the argument that they do not have room to sore all the papers I have three simple words: BUY A SCANNER. They can then make the policy to scan docs when they get to be six years old rather than just toss them. This is 2009, after all.

         You would think with all of the Mayor’s talk about “going green” he might want to consider moving to a digital document environment.

         Seems to me that even if this really is a clerical error and Procopio did not actively seek the exemption it does not explain why he made no effort to report the error. It would seem to me that any City official has a heightened responsibility to report such things. As it stands now, the City appears to have embraced the “only little people pay taxes”.

      4. “clerical error”
         Remember this is all just a little “clerical error”. The argument from the City will be that since Procopio did not apply for the STAR exemption he is not subject to that disclaimer on the form.

         Of course, the City has no proof one way or the other because, according to everyone I talked to at City Hall they have no record of how those exemptions came to exist. They say New York State law says they can toss all records more than six years old. That is, however, not the same thing as REQUIRING they toss those records. At the very least this case suggests that the City should change its policy to keeping tax emption records on file so long as the exemption is in place on a particularly property. As for the argument that they do not have room to sore all the papers I have three simple words: BUY A SCANNER. They can then make the policy to scan docs when they get to be six years old rather than just toss them. This is 2009, after all.

         You would think with all of the Mayor’s talk about “going green” he might want to consider moving to a digital document environment.

         Seems to me that even if this really is a clerical error and Procopio did not actively seek the exemption it does not explain why he made no effort to report the error. It would seem to me that any City official has a heightened responsibility to report such things. As it stands now, the City appears to have embraced the “only little people pay taxes”.

3. Where are the cuts? I don’t
   Where are the cuts? I don’t think I read about any in the newspaper, only positions that won’t be filled. In a year of economic turmoil, this is the best Chucky can come up with? He should be ashamed and embarrassed for proposing such an increase. Where’s Noam? Hiding behind Strome I think. It’s getting time to clean house in New Rochelle so we can get a new perpective on government. Why don’t we roll back salaries by 20% like in Harrison? That would be a good starting point. I certainly hope we’ve heard the last of those worthless bike signs the mayor’s keeps proposing.

4. Why not make it an even 10% just to make it even?
   Why not make it an even 10%, just to make it even? Nobody around here seems to mind anyway.

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