Students and Seniors Unite

by  Emma Pulaski

The Broome County Industrial Development Agency (BCIDA), with full support of Broome County Executive Preston and Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan, have subsidized and continue to subsidize a number of luxury student housing projects.  The dorms in University Plaza and Twin River Commons are two prominent examples.  Recently, another developer, One Wall Street LLC, petitioned for the same tax breaks for the new project in downtown Binghamton.  The Newman Development Group also announced plans to seek tax breaks to build yet another student housing complex in University Plaza.   Read the rest of this entry »

Fracking Broome County

 by Andrew Pragacz

According to information obtained from the Broome County Geographic Information System (BCGIS), there are over 112 square miles of land leased for natural gas development as of November 2012.  This means that 1/7th of Broome County is under gas lease.  Of those 112 square miles, 35 square miles is owned by people whose mailing addresses are outside of Broome County.   Read the rest of this entry »

New I.D.A. Assault on Vestal Tax Payers

  by Edward Zyskowski

             On July 2^nd, 7 p.m. at the Vestal Town Hall, the Broome County Industrial Development Agency held a public meeting regarding the proposed PILOT for the Vestal Nursing Home Rehabilitation Center, which is to be built on West Sheedy Rd, Vestal. This is a replacement facility for the Vestal Park Rehabilitation and Nursing Center from Old Vestal Road which flooded in 2006 and 2011. Read the rest of this entry »

BCIDA—Where A Tax Break Can Be Forever

         By the IDA rules, a ten or fifteen year tax break can mean forever. The IDA obtained a ten year tax break from the Vestal Town Board for the AIG building in the Vestal Plaza in 1999. At the end ten years, IDA Director, D’Attilio returned to the Vestal Town Board and lobbied successfully for another 10 year extension for the same property now occupied by Nationwide Credit Inc. (NCI). The IDA doesn’t worry about taxes collected and neither does the town board.

West Endicott Victory Over Attempted

              BCIDA Tax Ripoff!

             All tax paying residents of Broome County should give thanks to the struggle put up by the residents of West Endicott. These residents fought and lost a battle with the Industrial Development Agency over the movement of a toxic chemical plant into their neighborhood. But when the IDA wanted to get a tax exemption for this plant the residents were again ready to battle. The tax break request by the IDA has been dropped. The National Pipe and Plastic Company will pay their village, town, school and county property taxes. The residents did what the Town of Union Board did not have the guts to do.

The Bipartisan Attack on Social Security or Let ‘Em Eat Cat Food!

 by Dave Duncan

Social Security is called an “entitlement.” It really is not. Social Security is what people have gained from years of work. Money has been deducted from their pay and from the income their employer has gained from their work. Read the rest of this entry »

Counseling Needed Now!

 In Broome County there are 161 convicted sex offenders living in the community.  These offenders are on probation. But there is no counseling for these people who we are trying to rehabilitate. Other counties in the state, like Tioga, provide counseling. In order to improve the safety of our community residents and get these offenders on an acceptable path, Broome County should make counseling available. 

Counseling Needed Now!

 In Broome County there are 161 convicted sex offenders living in the community.  These offenders are on probation. But there is no counseling for these people who we are trying to rehabilitate. Other counties in the state, like Tioga, provide counseling. In order to improve the safety of our community residents and get these offenders on an acceptable path, Broome County should make counseling available. 

The Hotel Built by the Poor

by Dave Duncan

$11 million in federal funds designated to improve the lives of low-moderate income people were squandered by Binghamton officials on the building of the Sheraton Hotel, now the Double Tree by Hilton. The $11 million was borrowed from the federal department of Housing and Urban Development. (HUD).  Using yearly funds designated by HUD for the poor, $10 million has been paid back, yet another million is still owed by the city and must be taken from future HUD funds. The total hotel bill for low income people was over $17 million. Read the rest of this entry »