‘Stupidity Virus’ 2019

by Contributor | September 26, 2019 9:42 am

To The Editor:
11/10/14
“American scientists have located a virus that attacks human DNA, which may cause those infected to be less intelligent, impairing brain activity, learning and memory.”

At the last full legislative meeting on September 12 the entire Majority Caucus prove this to be more fact than fiction.

Resolution GC6 called for the legislature to purchase a hanger from Gypsum Aviation Services, LLC for the price of $852,300 taxpayers’ dollars (cigarette tax revenue).

This hanger would bring in more than $33,000 in tax revenue to the county if it stayed on the tax rolls.

The town of Volney would lose more than $2,000 in tax revenue.

The county would lose more than $7,000 in tax revenue.

The Fulton City School District would lose more than $23,000 in tax revenue.

Now anyone not affected by the “Stupidity Virus” would say no to a purchase that would take a large tax revenue off the tax rolls.

Well not your Majority Caucus (Republican Caucus) they voted unanimously to purchase this hanger and take it off the tax rolls.

Your Minority Caucus (Democratic Caucus) voted unanimously to have it remain on the tax rolls.

Now the Majority Caucus will argue that it is an investment and will return money through rent of the hanger space.

At a rate of $1,000 per plane per month it will take 17 years to pay back the investment.

This doesn’t include the $33,000 a year in tax revenue lost never to be regained. In 17 years the county will lose another $561,000 in tax revenue.

Which means it will take 29 years to pay back all the tax money lost.

Now after all is paid back the county will make $15,000 a year if the hanger is full each month, each year.

Now we are unaware of the cost to maintain the building so these revenue numbers could go lower.

“Stupidity Virus”

Now during that meeting the Minority Caucus asked questions that weren’t answered and suggested that we pass on the purchase and let Gypsum sell it to someone else and keep it on the tax rolls maintaining the $33,000 in tax revenue and use the $852,000 in sales tax money to upgrade a building and house our Board of Elections saving the taxpayers another $38,000 in rent the county pays to have it in a building that is owned by the Oswego County IDA.

Total savings suggested by the Minority Caucus would amount to $852,000 + $33,000+$38,000 = $923,000.

Now everyone in the Legislature is always working hard to improve our county to attract more tax revenue.

Why would the majority Caucus vote to take a tax revenue off the tax rolls?

“Stupidity Virus”

If this hanger was going to be a money maker the owner would not be selling it. It is a money loser and the owner knows it.

He knows that the jets and helicopters that fly in to the airport only stay the day and fuel up and will only stay over if inclement weather hits.

That would not pay his taxes and he knows it.
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It is obvious that the owner is not affected by the “Stupidity Virus” and like P.T. Barnum, knows” there is a sucker born every minute.”

So Volney, Fulton School District, and Oswego County taxpayers when your taxes increase you can thank your Oswego County Majority Caucus for removing a taxpaying property off the tax rolls.

Legislator Frank Castiglia Jr.
Minority Caucus Leader

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/stupidity-virus-2019/

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