Weekly Link Round Up

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The weekly link roundup is a collection of links related to Newburgh, revitalization, urban planning and anything else that might inspire change or create dialogue. Photo by NR flickr pool user Brian Wolfe

Is Newburgh, New York, the Next Beacon? [Walnut Street Gazette]
Newburgh Land Bank to receive $2.45 million in state funding [Mid Hudson News]
James Patterson, Weighs in On This Year’s “Newburgh Illuminated Festival” Being Held in the City of Newburgh [PR Web]
Hip Hop/Poet artists stake their claim with a new Collaborative Work Space in the City of Newburgh [PR Web]
Lucy and Desi return to Newburgh [Poughkeepsie Journal]

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4 Comment

  • Is Newburgh, New York, the Next Beacon?…
    Beacon: 2009 combined homestead tax rate 18.9; combined non- homestead tax rate 25.7
    2014 combined homestead tax rate 28.2; combined non- homestead tax rate 38.5
    Newburgh: 2009 combined homestead tax rate 25.6; combined non- homestead tax rate 28.6
    2014 combined homestead tax rate 49.9; combined non- homestead tax rate 56.1
    …must be that ‘Victorian architecture’ ; )

    http://www.co.dutchess.ny.us/CountyGov/Departments/RealPropertyTax/12485.htm
    http://www.cityofnewburgh-ny.gov/assessor/files/city-of-newburgh-tax-rate-history-2006-2014

    • I agree that the real estate taxes in City of Newburgh, one of the most distressed places in the USA, are a complete travesty.
      Why are we all asked to subsidize NYC low real estate taxes in the State of NY?

      The system has been designed wrong when in the same state, poor and middle income people pay more for real estate taxes than the wealthy.There is a state issue that affects City of Newburgh taxes. NYC needs to pay more into the state system through the county level of government to lower real estate taxes state wide even if NYC real estate taxes are raised.

  • Notice any dissimilarity between Newburgh’s Land Bank and the other land bank state grant recipients? They all are in larger cities, or an amalgam of cities or whole counties. It would be interesting to see what the criteria for handing out this chunk of state taxpayer’s money to an unsustainable pipe dream? Until the tax burden for all properties in the City of Newburgh are mitigated somehow, it will be a losing battle. It’s a shame the state taxpayers will lose their investment with this short-sighted decision- as if it’s not enough that we have been dealt another bad idea financed by money that would be better spent.

  • In a sense the U.S. tax payer at large is at risk of losing their investment.
    In 2008 the federal government enacted the Housing and Economic Recovery Act. Out of this congress then enacted the Neighborhood Stabilization Program to provide ‘assistance’ to state and local governments hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis. In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allocated additional funds to distribute,via grants, with some changes to the NSP Act that now allowed land Banks to receive funds for operational costs as well.
    Land Banks essentially are the conduit to gain ready access to these funds. They have an advantage to stream line the foreclosure process and the ability to ‘clear’ titles. From my interpretation, the criteria to issue and receive ‘assistance’ is non-specific and subjective in as much the main criteria of being a ‘Distressed Community” is met. Of added caution, there are provisions written in the statute that enable the Land Bank, should it see fit, the ability to take on debt, i.e. issue bonds, as well as the ability to seek inclusion of the school district in its operations. Though the local and state municipalities are not liable per se, should the Land Bank default on its debt obligations there is nothing stopping tptb of providing a taxpayer ‘bailout’ should it occur.
    http://esd.ny.gov/BusinessPrograms/NYSLBP.htmlhttp://esd.ny.gov/BusinessPrograms/NYSLBP.html