Editor, The Spotlight:
Well, received the new assessments on my properties yesterday. Increase of only $412,000.
At current rates, that means a tax increase of $9,426 in school and $4,131 in land. Total increase: $13,557.
Question: What orifice am I going to pull this out of?
That adds up to a new economy car every single year.
Almost all of the increase is on our open, unused land that we let everyone else use for hunting, four-wheeling, snowmobiling, hiking, etc. etc. etc.
My family has been here for almost 200 years. Never put up a posted sign, gate, or any other thing that would discourage our friends and neighbors from using our land. Our land is covered with trails for people to walk on and enjoy. 12 miles of trails are on ours and adjoining landowners properties, and you won’t see a single posted sign.
My family has given land away so the Glenmont firehouse could be built. My family has given land away so the Glenmont Community Church could be built. My family has given up land for pennies on the dollar so the Henry Hudson Park could be built.
Great way to treat people. Just wonderful.
This is how the Town of Bethlehem takes care of landowners. This is how the Town of Bethlehem encourages keeping green space, which is their favorite topic to talk about. What a bunch of phonies.
They don’t seem to get it that landowners are the best stewards of the land, not government.
Notice how much property is for sale in town? Notice how many people are logging their property? Notice all the apartment buildings and crappy looking subdivisions that are being built?
Anyone want to buy a whole bunch of open land?
Liberals are destroying our town. Welcome to Bethlehem.
Keith Wiggand,
Delmar