TRR photo by Sandy Long Yulan resident John Frank began providing free assistance to senior citizens to help them navigate the fairly complex problem of rising tax assessments in the Town of Highland, NY. Frank has successfully grieved his assessments for the past several years and is now sharing his hard-won skills with others. Behind Frank, residents wait their turn to address the town’s tax assessment board in hopes of having their assessments lowered.

A grievous affair

Townspeople tackle their assessments at Highland’s Grievance Day

By SANDY LONG

ELDRED, NY—There are differences of opinion about the causes behind the problem, but everyone seems to agree on one thing: tax assessments in the Town of Highland are a grievous affair.

“Every year, I have to come in and fight,” said one man, while others complained of a myriad of issues, such as the town’s 100 percent assessment rate, inaccuracies in data collection and the comparison of market values that reflect earlier real estate booms in stark contrast to the collapsing local market.

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Temporary signs for temporary roads

Pipeline begins construction in earnest

By FRITZ MAYER

WESTERN SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY—Red and white road access signs have cropped up in many places, marking spots where workers will create, or in some cases have already created, temporary roads to lay a new pipeline.

The Millennium Pipeline, which is 30 inches in diameter, will replace the 12-inch Columbia Gas Pipeline, which was installed in the 1940s. The new pipeline will, for the most part, follow the route of the old one through Delaware, Sullivan, Orange and four other New York counties.

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Sullivan gets a failing grade for county legal aid program

Lack of money is the cause

By FRITZ MAYER

MONTICELLO, NY - If you’re poor and you get arrested in Sullivan County, chances are very good that you’ll be assigned a legal aid lawyer that won’t have time to adequately defend you.

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Other stories in this issue:

• Chicago changes its culinary mind
• Gas drilling issue heats up
• New travel guide highlights the local area
• New state-of-the-art county prison to open
• Sullivan tourism business owners upbeat
• Regina Wagner thanks her community

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S