Uptown hotel tax break request is a crock

Dear Editor, Re “Uptown Kingston hotel developer seeks more than $1.6 million in tax breaks,” Sept. 13, 2017: The same alleged individual that 17 years ago was going to build a boutique hotel in the Rondout — that never happened — now wants a paymentin-lieu-of-taxes agreement on his recent purchase in Uptown for new bed-and-breakfast operations.

He and other people like him come in, promise all these jobs that never materialize, pay inflated prices for the properties, which then gives the local assessor carte blanche to raise property values, across the board, giving way to the potential of higher real estate taxes, as a result of more taxable value, forcing long-time property owners to abandon their homes because they can not afford the taxes. The result being they are forced to move elsewhere, potentially ruining longtime neighborhoods. Then, the original out-of-town purchaser asks for a tax deal and does not want to pay the original taxes let alone the increased-value taxes or, in other words, no taxes. Not only does he get a tax break, but he forces everyone else to pay a higher percentage than they should have to in order make up the short fall.

Secondly, how about the other bed-and-breakfast operations that willingly pay the higher taxes and are stuck with competing with someone who doesn’t pay his fair share? Maybe they need a tax deal as well just to stay in business and compete. What a crock.

— Bruce MClean

Kingston, N.Y.