I apologize to TOTS bloggers as I have been tied up tending to a family situation for many months and unable to contribute here. As a birthday tribute to TOTS, I decided to make my usual FOIL request of the New Rochelle School District and was absolutely dumbfounded by the response. I have been an adversary of what I believe to be the failed development policies of the Idoni and Bramson administrations. I have publicly challenged Mayor Bramson to document his delusional claims of first a $2 million dollar net benefit from development
http://www.newrochelletalk.com/node/938
then a $7.5 million dollar net benefit from development
In his political gobbledygook, Bramson’s balance sheet refuses to factor in the cost of educating students from these tax-abated development projects as well as the costs associated with emergency response services from NRPD & NRFD that totaled nearly 1,000 “calls for service” in 2010 from the most egregious tax-abated project, the Avalons.
In 2009, there were 80 students registered from the Avalons (255 Huguenot St. & 40 Memorial Hwy.) costing taxpayers $1.6 million dollars. In 2011, that number ballooned to 115 students costing taxpayers $2.3 million dollars. As I type today in 2012, the number of students from the Avalons has reached an obscene 137, costing New Rochelle taxpayers $2.74 Million Dollars. That totals over $6.5 MILLION dollars for three years. The increasing trend is also troubling as we were promised professionals with disposable income and few children.
The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), adopted by the city, projected a “minor impact” on the school district anticipating 58 students from the completed project.
http://www.newrochelletalk.com/node/1044
YES, 58 students from 1,000 apartments in two Avalon buildings! The current 137 students are more than double the FEIS projections and at 61 students from Avalon 1 and 76 students from Avalon 2 each building individually exceeds the FEIS projection for the completed project! The 137 students represent a 236% increase over the FEIS projections! This taxpayer devastation will continue for another 20 plus years.
It is my understanding that the New Rochelle Board of Education Trustees recently discussed and unanimously opposes repeating this blunder at their most recent meeting. They are very concerned about the Albanese and Echo Bay projects. I will wait for the video to become available before commenting. This is a multi-tiered problem and I will have more to post as I delve into the outdated studies used in environmental impact statements, the negotiations between the city and school district to determine an “actual cost per student” to be charged to future developers, allowing updates to EIS as opposed to new studies etc.
I couldn’t think of better way to celebrate TOTS’s BIRTHDAY and kickoff their 5th year.
Before TOTS existed my information was like a tree falling in the forest, very few, if any, heard it
As Bob would say, developing………
Welcome Back to a Great Citizen
Hope all is working out at home. You make important points in several areas and I look forward to your updates.
I understand the need for abatement to incentivize new business development. It is relatively routine.
What you are pointing out I think is the risk involved in two areas of great concern: (1) a lack of skill in setting the terms and conditions of any abatement and any necessary default strategy if conditions are not met. And it should go without saying that the impact on the city’s resource base must be level one in any risk analysis.
(2) is more troubling actually as it continues to disclose the predictable negative impact on a city’s development plan and strategy if the working relationship with its school district is without a formal relationship between the two to promote both impact analyses and the protection any community resident should expect in h/her tax base. It is irrelevant to most taxpayers regarding the autonomy of a school district vis the city; h/she will and should reasonably expect a proper and accountable working relationship.
Anthony tells a all too common story to the reader — one where there is too much that falls apart in the management of the city and the fidelity to its Charter. Once more, the City Council must understand its role and responsibility and the city administration must understand without question, the relationship of a functioning school district as well as a business district, on its ability to attract new commercial and residential occupants.
Thank you Anthony for your typical important contribution to all of us and hope you and your loved ones are doing well.
It’s about Time the BOE woke up
It’s about time the BOE realized they’ve been hosed by the city. School taxes comprise 67% of our total tax bill while the city comprises 17%. So the folks who control 17% are making decisions for the folks controlling 67%. Actually they are shutting out the school district who receives $0 in school tax.
I can’t wait to se the video and only time will tell if the BOE is serious or this was just a dog & pony show.
What a great way to celebrate TOT’s birthday.
The BOE and The City of New
The BOE and The City of New Rochelle are like two Crime Family’s coexisting when it behooves them.
Clearly when NR-IDA doles out Real Estate Tax abatement’s the school system gets the short end of the stick. Frankly both the City and the BOE need a complete review by the NY State AG and NY State Comptrollers offices but since they are all Democrats drinking from the same tax payer wells you won’t see anything but a slap on the wrist here and there.