Amsterdam’s Common Council decided Tuesday to not allow members of the World Peace and Health Organization who bid on 48 properties at a city auction to transfer the titles to the non-profit Buddhist group.
The council decided it would actually be cheaper for the organization to do it later, although more concerns were raised about whether the properties would remain on the tax rolls. The council did, as pointed out by 3rd Ward Alderwoman Gina DeRossi, already allow one bidder to transfer two titles to a limited liability corporation she set up.
Quick take: Ugh. I know this seems to be a hot topic in the community, but when will it ever end? Maybe it’s time to wait and see how it’s going to play out, especially since no other bidders at city auctions are subject to this kind of scrutiny. Frankly, unless the group does something completely off-the-wall, this is probably going to be the last blog posting about the WPHO for awhile.
September 8, 2010
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Ya Charlie and no other bidder/bidders bought 48 properties. The other transfers where to the same person who aquired an LLC. A bit of a difference, don’t ya think? Maybe it’ll end when you stop accusing concerned tax paying citizens of the city of Amsterdam of being “racist”. I have a feeling it won’t be long before we hear more on this topic. Until then, I’m anxious to “wait and see how it’s going to play out”.
Comment by mag — September 8, 2010 @ 2:34 am |
Nice to see the CC doing the right thing, if a bit belatedly.
Charlie:
Sure would be nice if, instead of saying “Ugh,” you might take a moment to wonder why this story is important to Amsterdam’s taxpayers.
And, as Mag said, spare us the racism claptrap. I for one don’t care what color these people are, or where they are from. I do care about what they are going to do with fifty properties in terms of rehabbing them and paying taxes on them. As Mag said above, it is NOT one or two properties, it’s FIFTY! This is a story, Charlie, no matter what the WPHO press people tell you, with such apparent credibility.
I wonder also if, two or three years down the road and WPHO tax bills pile up almost as high as the code violations (a pile I am told that has already started), the WPHO will appear in the paper at all.
Comment by Peter — September 8, 2010 @ 2:39 pm |
You’re right, Peter, it is a story … and don’t think for a minute that we haven’t covered it and we will continue to cover it as long as something newsworthy is involved.
And your last sentence is conjecture, and is part of the problem with all this hulabaloo: you’re assuming the group won’t pay its taxes, and you’re assuming there are going to be a ton of code violations. Instead of saying, “OK, they bought the properties, now let’s see what happens,” people are automatically assuming the worst.
The properties aren’t tax-exempt, nor will they be when the closing happens on Sept. 10. They will be added to the rolls, no matter whose name is on the title. They can’t become tax-exempt unless they apply for a special waiver, and then they have to prove they properties are eligible for exemption. They’re not even close to that process yet.
There are way too many people jumping the gun here. And sorry Peter, I’ve never said everyone has a racial motivation behind their concerns. Just those who subscribe to the “People are scared” and “It’s like they’re coming in and taking over” alarmism.
Frankly, I think people should stop making assumptions and see what happens. It’s not like the city was getting anything out of these properties beforehand.
Comment by Charlie Kraebel — September 8, 2010 @ 2:48 pm |
Charlie:
Thank you for the reply. Glad to know the Recorder will remain vigilant. Two things, though:
First, OF COURSE that last paragraph was conjecture — I even included “if” in it! I have repeatedly said I hope all this turns out just great, but so far every step of the way has borne some implication that it might not. It’s great to hope that everything will turn out just fine, but is it really wise to blindly hope? Also, you don’t need to change tax status to not pay taxes — you just have to not pay taxes, and continue to use the properties while the legal process goes on for years and years. (BTW, the bit about code violations already piling up was NOT conjecture).
Finally, please stop presenting the “It’s not like the city was getting anything out of these properties beforehand” argument like it was a valid one. The point of the auction was to do something with the properties, including selling them to tax-paying owners. Just because the places were not producing before the WPHO bought them doesn’t mean they were always going to be that way.
And, again for what it’s worth, this is likely my last post on this topic — I too have gotten very tired of it, and extremely tired of the way everyone seems to be taking discussion of a simple land grab by people they don’t even know so personally.
Comment by Peter — September 8, 2010 @ 3:16 pm
FYI…I was told by someone who was at city hall today that the deeds were signed and handed over to the purchasers of the 48 properties…I believe we would all like to see nothing but good come out of this. I personally wish them much luck! Moving forward…>>>
Comment by mag — September 8, 2010 @ 7:18 pm