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Not Realistic to Run Businesses Out of Town
Dear Editor:
There appears to be an uproar in our community over commercial property development. One that comes to mind is the gas station on Route 9 and 403. The current owner has taken a half a century old gas station on U.S. commercial route 9 on B2 commercially zoned property and updated the site with modern safety and environmental features of which is closely monitored by the most powerful state agency in NewYork, the DEC.
I think this is a huge improvement of what was there and is a asset to the community. When the project is completed the taxes will be assessed on the finished product, which will most likely be double what has been paid in the past decade. I think tax payers need to realize the importance of commercial property in the community. Over 70% of every tax payers taxes are school taxes..
Every tax payer gets the right to send their children to school here with the exception of commercial tax payers, they pay that same 70% but don't get to use a penny of it. The more commercial taxes paid = a bigger tax break on the residential tax payer that utilize the most important part of any community, the schools we send our children to.
This town was founded on small business and most of the small businesses here donate their time and money to our churches, schools and youth programs. Don't get me wrong,,I'm all for conserving small town USA and that's why I've lived in Putnam county for 42 years but we have to be realistic, If we run businesses out of our town that bring in jobs, money and pay a large amount of our taxes we will have a small town USA that only the upper class can afford to live in.
Casey Marden
Philipstown
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