Tax Our Guests, Patronage: Items on the Rye City Council Agenda for January 25, 2012

(PICTURE: Rye City Hall by local artist Heather Patterson)

The city council's agenda for its meeting on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 is out. See you at 8:00pm in Council Chambers in City Hall. 

Meetings are also aired on Cablevision Channel 75 and Verizon Channel 39. We'll also see you on the Internet (live and archive). There are no office hours of the Mayor on Wednesday. The meeting will be preceded by a Workshop on the Fire Department beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Let's check the batting order and highlights from the 17 agenda items.

• Doug's Details. Mayor’s Management Report - Update from the Rye Cable and Communications Committee; Discussion of the Strategic Workshop Agenda; Update on the Flood Mitigation Sluice Gate Project; Legal Update
• Tax Our Guests. Home Rule Resolution supporting S5902(Oppenheimer)/A8556(Latimer) extension of the City of Rye Hotel Occupancy Tax.
• Take The Money & Run. Consideration of a Resolution of acceptance for a grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for reimbursement for equipment purchased by the Department of Public Works.
• Talking Patronage. Discussion regarding appointments to the Conservation Commission/Advisory Council.
• Actual Discussion May Cost More than $2,680. Acceptance of Grant Award from Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee in the amount of $2,680 for participation in the “Selective Traffic Enforcement” program.
• Open Mic. Residents may be heard who have matters to discuss that do not appear on the agenda. Always a crowd pleaser...
• Patronage. One appointment to the Finance Committee for a three-year term, by the Mayor with Council approval; Two appointments to the Landmarks Advisory Committee for a three-year term, by the Mayor with Council approval; One appointment to the Rye Playland Advisory Committee for a three-year term, by the Mayor with Council approval.

The next regular meeting of the City Council will be held on Wednesday, February 8, 2012. The
City Council will hold a Strategic Workshop on Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 9:15 a.m. at Whitby
Castle.

Comments

[tedc]

WHEN IN A HOLE - FIRST THING TO DO - STOP DIGGING

Rye City web site - recorded video of the January 25th, 2012 Rye City Council Meeting – Item 5, Part 1 of 2 – time code section 36:20 thru 37:30 -

Mayor French speaking -

“There have been two issues I’ve been dealing with as a resident, um, with a rental property. One is, um, our property, it turns out, when we put it up for sale, ah 40 years ago, when I was in 3rd grade, the prior owner had converted it from a 2 family to a single family, and I’d updated people at ah at two meetings ago. Um so we are working with the building department to legalize that work that was done by the previous owner, ah, just as most residents have to do.

The other issue is the STAR Tax Exemption which that same property when we moved in 2000, ah, through an error in the city’s assessor’s office, that exemption stayed on the books. And so this came about when New York State was looking at revamping the STAR program and there were a number of homes that had discrepancies ah ours was one. Our position is what we owe is what we owe so we’ve made full restitution to the county in terms of the amount owed, and penalties.”

Now there are numerous inaccuracies above that will be explored in depth later. But here’s one that we thought we’d never see –

From: Jackson, David
To: Ray Tartaglione
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 9:58 AM
Subject: RE: Douglas and Carrie French STAR tax

Mr. Tartaglione,

The attached is what was sent to Mr. & Ms. French.

Payment has not been received to date.

David B. Jackson, AAS, CCD, SCCD, IAO, CCMA II
Executive Director, Westchester County Tax Commission
dbj1@westchestergov.com