LiGreci: new year,
same platform

By DAVID HULSE

GLEN SPEY, NY — John LiGreci has been involved in local government for three years, and for three years his goals have never changed.

This year won’t be an exception, he said.

He’s out for property tax law reform and he said he won’t take no for an answer.

Up to this point the Lumberland supervisor has had a good deal of practice dealing with ‘no’. While some in state government are skeptical about his chances of effecting reform, LiGreci believes this year will see legislation introduced in the state legislature, based on a portion of his effort.

LiGreci said not-for-profit corporations are using their tax-exempt status to bank large parcels of property for future sale. He said their ability to do this in a town with much of the tax base set in large undeveloped parcels could bankrupt a municipality.

Some 17 percent of Lumberland’s tax base is currently tax-exempt.

In addition, the town is fighting a tax appeal impacting some 20 percent of its tax base. See “Continuing financial challenges for ECS” (above right).

The new year will also see a continuation of town plans to move the highway department salt shed away from town cemetery on the Lower Road to a new site on Mohap Road.

At the town hall, Councilman Joe Carr plans repairs to the flooring and a new concrete path with handrails, connecting the lower seniors parking lot to the picnic pavilion.