Candidates address sales tax, business park

WATKINS GLEN--The Schuyler County League of Women Voters held their Meet the Candidates Night Wednesday, Oct. 21, in the Watkins Glen elementary school auditorium. Judy Phillips was the moderator of the debate, which featured the contested Legislative District VIII race between Republican incumbent Dennis Fagan and Democratic challenger Sandra Rhodes. Both candidates gave opening and closing remarks, along with comments on the business park and sales tax sharing between the county and towns.
Rhodes spoke first, saying she retired after 20 years in the county with the Department of Social Services and the Youth Bureau, adding she saw many decisions made that were not wise.
"I am very concerned with the decisions the county has made in the past," Rhodes said. "I think many times they are penny wise and pound foolish. They try to save money in the short-term, and in the long-term end up costing much, much more."
Her other concerns claimed the county often makes decisions without adequate information and behind closed doors. She noted many legislators are not aware of the ins and outs of the departments they govern, adding she has a much clearer idea of the needs of agencies.
Fagan spoke next, saying he is proud of the legislature's fiscal accomplishments since being elected. He noted the tax rate was $10.50 per $1,000 of assessed value when he first started, with the projection for next year being slightly under $8.16 per $1,000, noting the levy projections are also well below the tax cap limit.
"We have had significant accomplishments at the county since I have been involved in the legislature," Fagan said. "We developed the countywide assessment program with 100 percent equalization rates for all towns. We had the county transit system partnering with the Arc at no local cost to the county. We developed the legislative redistribution plan in line with the census. We have a 30-year sales tax distribution plan with the towns and villages, and we have upgraded county facilities."
The candidates each had the opportunity to respond to questions from Phillips following their opening statements. The first question included what they thought the biggest challenge was facing the legislature. Fagan claimed the biggest challenge continues to be the unfunded state mandates "imposed on us by politicians in Albany."
"The biggest challenge is to stabilize the tax rate when basically 80 percent of budget is going to mandates," Fagan said.
The next question asked what role each candidate would take in securing new businesses for the business park. Rhodes said she thinks it is very important to work with the Schuyler County Partnership for Economic Development (SCOPED) and the Watkins Glen Chamber of Commerce to make the availability of the business park known. She added she is also congnizant of fact there is limited access by trucks and rail line, noting perhaps industrial development is not the most advisable because of this. Rhodes said there is more the legislature could do to bring more businesses to the park.
Fagan spoke about working with the Krog Corporation and Hart Hotels to urge them to build the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel. He said they had concerns with the winter, but he noted there were great opportunities for special purpose events at the lakefront. Fagan noted the hotel is now the largest grossing facility in their chain, noting he sees many more great opportunities.
The next question inquired about the ways the county legislature can work with the towns and villages. The candidates were also asked what they would do to increase the town's share of sales tax instead of the cutting scheduled in 2016. Fagan said the towns "don't have anywhere near the pressure of unfunded mandates the county has." He noted the county has over the past few years decreased the share of the sales tax distribution to the towns and villages from 25 percent to 20 percent. Fagan added when the proposed new regional wastewater treatment plant was initially discussed, the villages of Watkins Glen and Montour Falls asked to pass a 30-year bond resolution, as they were concerned the sales tax distribution would erode their ability to keep a hold on taxes. He said the 30-year distribution plan he developed on sales tax was unanimously accepted by the villages and towns last year.
Rhodes said she is very happy to have seen the cooperative services with the towns and villages, like the shared garage. However, she said she thinks there is more that can be done, adding in her discussions with people from Monterey, they are feeling isolated and separated from the rest of Schuyler County. Rhodes noted she would like to see more shared services be made available to the rural towns and villages in the county.
In his closing statements, Fagan noted he wants to get reelected because he was part of the initial group that formulated the concept of Project Seneca. He said he championed the new regional wastewater treatment plant that would eliminate wastewater effluent discharges into Seneca Lake. Fagan said while his stance on liquified petroleum gas (LPG) storage has been somewhat controversial, he mentioned there is a need for solar development in the county, adding the county is looking at a four-acre acre solar development, possibly at the old Irelandville Landfill.
Rhodes said if she is elected, as a minority member she would not have the opportunity to control the decisions that are made.
"The only thing that I can promise to the people I represent is to ask the hard questions, to look at long-range of effect of decisions made," Rhodes said. "Yes, the Harbor Hotel has been a great boon to the county of Schuyler, but I think we also have to remember that a great many of the people who work at the Harbor Hotel are part-time workers and have no health insurance. Many of them are forced to use Medicaid, which is a county expense. I think we need to take a long, hard look at the possible results of decisions that are to be made. I also promise I will speak with my people, to listen to what their concerns are and to work my darndest to give them a voice in the Schuyler County Legislature."
Legislative District VII candidate Mark Rondinaro also spoke during the meeting, giving a brief outline of his platform, as he is running unopposed. He said his most important platform point is increasing the open meetings and freedom of information at the county level.