I’m sure someone at RT will be jumping all over this D&C story at some point - property taxes are out of balance. I’m on the road today so access will be limited. Still -I scanned the article and here is the money ‘graf in my opinion (my emphasis).

By contrast, in areas where there is room for development and the tax base grows — especially in commercial property — the cost of operating government services can be spread over an increasing number of property owners.

Um excuse me? Commercial people pay taxes? Sure but really? The important piece of information is when the property tax pool is limited or intentionally reduced, then those who do pay taxes pay a disproportionate share. Well - Let’s look at, yes, you guessed it, COMIDA

We have the Wellesley Inn. Before the application was withdrawn and revoked (there were two applications) - $60,000 dollars were taken out of tax rolls. (30K for Monroe County, 30K for Brighton). That money needs to be made up from somewhere.

There is the Harley School with its tax free bonds.

ONLY YESTERDAY there was this article about the $6.6 million dollar expansion of the Midtown Athletic Club. You saw the quotes I pulled from the article (reread them) . Well, here are more..

The first phase, a new suite of “mind and body” studios, is under construction on the second floor. And just outside the club’s doors on Gould Street, crews are readying a row of houses that William has purchased for demolition to make room for the second and third phases, a collection of outdoor pools and clay tennis courts and an indoor pool and spa.

Sounds really nice because

…a project that William [Midtown athletic club General Manager] said wouldn’t have been possible if not for a partial tax exemption on the improvements awarded by the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency.

Great. We are removing a row of houses (someone paid taxes there), Gave tax incentives to Midtown Athletic club so they can build outdoor pools. OUTDOOR POOLS at a private club where they don’t disclose the membership fees. Yeah, how many convertibles do you see driving around in Rochester during Winter? There is a reason for that Winter. So our tax dollars are enabling private outdoor pools.

Back to the original premise - remove select members from the tax base - taxes go up for those who are not removed. That is the story - a story that needs to be revealed and repeated. A story that unfortunately needs more emphasis than simply my taxes are too high - cut them.

Heck, if we cut taxes would would pay for the poolside Cabana boys handing out towels at Mid-town athletic club and sweeping up the red clay dust from the the tennis courts.