Challenging the 2% Cap Is a Bad Idea

Written By: Talk of the Sound News

The blog is on fire regarding the likely challenge to the New York State 2% cap. It is always worthwhile for people who visit the blog to get these perspectives. While the evidence is circumstantial at best at this time, it is likely that the city council will be presented with an override resolution at the earliest opportunity.

It is estimated that between 15 to 20 percent of NYS communitiies will attempt to override the State Cap. It is not clear whether these will be primarily democratic or republican controlled decision making entities. It doesn’t matter; the idea of considering an override puts the community interests and, actually needs, behind those of the politicians running the city. It is that simple. Westchester is the most taxed and close to the most expensive city to live in the entire United States. We have seen a radical change in key demographics in New Rochelle; lots of migration, negative consequences on the school district performance, a rapidly deteriorating business district…. these can be measured. What cannot be easily seen is the deflation of the community ethos, spirit, and appetite to work together as one city. The anger of the south is matched by the apathy of the north.

Andrew Cuomo is not a very forgiving man. I don’t think he will take to having a democratic majority community overriding his plan. If you are a NYS Assembly member or senator, I would be more than a little uncomfortable. So, along with Republican colleagues in the County, I would hope, sincerely hope, that each of them join the better angels and try to instill some common sense into an administration that is losing its grip on how to deal with a serious short term situation, how to safely shelve intermediate and longer term plans, and devote all their energies to promoting the common good which is, clearly, improving the tax situation for the population of the city while also finding ways to behave as one community; one point of focus for investors to say, the school district is first rate, the business district safe and healthy, and the tax situation is under control. We cannot say this now without crossing our fingers behind our backs.

Challenging the tax is a prima facie statement that we have not done near enough to manage the realities of an overall economic bust in the context of a city’s need to sustain itself from excessive damage. We put forth the wrong sorts of things from a situational management point of view. Echo Bay, Davids Island, the continuation of the Monroe sprawl downtown, the proliferation of non-profits and other non-attractive initiatives in our critical downtown area, do nothing to attract the eye of investors. As bad, there is no evidence of the City’s faith or even responsibility in preserving, protecting and supporting business center growth. How simple it would be to do that…. move some city departments down here to inspirit residents, put in a police presence as a structural reality, change the zoning code, look at the idea of addressing lease renewals with landlords in a positive way as one candidate for council has already suggested.

There is much, much more but why take up more space. We have done so little or done what we have done so incompletely, so non-related to proper urban planning, and most critically in a vacuum from input from citizens and neighborhoods. I am not going into the abatement argument. I know they are standard operating procedure for growth, but I also know that there are ways to use them as proper incentives, to present the city as a desirable end state for the developer rather than being dependent. This affects the terms and conditions both in the original contract and in subsequent renewals as needed.

Look at the override situation from the context of how you budget in households, how you interract with family and neighbors. Are you happy with the comparison?

Are any of you out there business men or women? Is your organization in the stock market? if so, what is the raison d’etre of your business? Isn’t it mostly to provide shareholder value? SAME, the absolute same is true of city management. You simply substtute taxpayer value for shareholder value. This administration has a responsibility to reduce the taxing burden on its taxpayers. It cannot add a further burden during these difficult times by ignoring the simple facts that you do not, repeat do not, increase the burdens which are so huge that they are literally unrivaled in the nation, by not exhausting all other possibilities.

Sharpen your pencils as the school district must do this spring. It has to be done. All sacred cows must be examined. From the City’s viewpoint I take you back to the City Code. and say that our mayor is seen as a ceremonial mayor and his duties are clear enough. Yet in fact, he is a strong mayor evidenced by salary, war chests of donations, power and influence. So, this said, do we need a City Manager at such a high salary level. Perhaps we don’t or, perhaps the responsibiliites of council and mayor and city manager should conform to the Code and this has very real financial implications as well as clarity in terms of community and neighborhood relationships.

I am also drawing the parallel to how a strong ethical and sensible business leader would address this issue. He would be product and service driven.So the leading edge in school districts would be to do no harm to front line educators; teachers for example, In the City, do no harm to their equivalents; the fire, police, sanitation. People we need for safety, health and security. Cut administration positions. Lower salaries. Bargain more effectively at renewal time. Get rid of redundancy. Put consultants out to pasture. Initiate a study on critical postions, rank, and readjust. Let go of anymore attached to future state issues or projects…. sustainability, echo bay, etc.. or put them on ice or on some reduced scheduling basis. Yes they are important, but not in current state. And, do something with IDA, BID, etc….. more value for the dollar, no tax increase, no ignoring todays needs, no violence to first providers and sanitation, leave main street yards alone, get back and use armory, and get yourselves downtown to reconnect with some very good and needy people.

I realize this is not easy. I understand the emotional impact of constant criticism from some quarters. Yet, it comes with the territory. I also recognize the need to control, be it narcissistic or not, it is very seductive. Yet, it is a path for failure.

Any prospective council member, new or sitting now, who rationalizes the need to override the cap is guilty of acting against the interests of their constituents and the overall community without getting the support of the community. You do not have it simply by being elected. That is an exercise in rationalization. You are not presenting this as a campaign issue. And, so you should not be held harmless.

I would hope and literally pray as I do daily for the City, that all parties to governance step up and work together for the common good, the common weal, commonwealth. I dont want to think that some deep pocket weasels are capitalizing on their wealth by donating to any party that would work against the community interest. Conscience should not be cowardly, but should drive the individual. If you have children, what the hell kind of example are you setting by saying we had to override this admittedly imperfect approach of a cap, by rationalizing that the city needs money to promote its agenda while all evidence by any reasonably intelligent citizen would say, (a) is your agenda appropriate to your planning process, (b) the basic indicators of why investors would invest in New Rochelle (strong school system, business district) and have you really stripped down to the bare, most meaningful essentials before taking this perilous route that could prove even more dangerous for us in the future if Andrew exercises his emotional and political muscle.

I am sick to death of ideology, apathetic or angry citizens, narcissistic or megalomaniacal politicians, politicians who cannot follow their own job descriptions, or get along, or critically think.

Please make your voices known now and not at some pro form 3 minute speech opportunity at a hearing. Tell whoever is running for council….. what will you do NOW if you were presented with an override of the 2% cap on the City Budget.

It is literally a moral and rational no brainer — NO!