Sunday, March 18, 2007

Cuts to PILOT

"Trying to balance its budget in tough times, one of New Britain's major landowners says it may decide to save nearly $950,000 next year by simply writing a smaller check at property tax season.The landowner is the state of Connecticut. Gov. M. Jodi Rell wants to spend less next year on "payments in lieu of taxes" - PILOT grants - that the state is paying this year for colleges, hospitals, parks, office buildings, fleet garages, courthouses and other properties across Connecticut. New Britain, where Central Connecticut State University is located, and nine other communities are likely to take the biggest share of the hit." (Courant, by Don Stacom)

I'm not sure which nine communities may be caught in the crossfire. But if you're new to this stuff... then you should know that Cheshire receives a significant PILOT payment due to the state-owned prison property. So Cheshire may have a lot to lose if this proposal is adopted.

Tim White
Town Council, Budget Committee

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Its seems like take with one hand and give with the other-round and round we go and there seems to be no end to the musical chairs game that is played here

Anonymous said...

It is an invitation to the Governor and the state legislature to cut funding when you send them an annual letter emphasizing your priorities, and that letter includes a request for a turf football field. Your greed comes back to haunt you.

Anonymous said...

You are right. Comming from from a council that took money for a skate board park. I think it was under repeblican control when that money came. How did that vote go when republicans could have stopped such wasteful spending? I am sure that has come back to haunt them.

Anonymous said...

Now the Democrates are all lobbying to put turf on the football field. This will cost a great deal more than a skate park. The last I heard they're looking for $500,000 from the state and $500,000 from private donations. I don't see any Democrates calling this wasteful spending.

Anonymous said...

Did Al bring the money for the skateboard park? Did the republicans vote to take it? Also, did Al introduce a bill for senior tax relief for people making $90k? Wow pretty rich of the republicans to criticize anyone, don’t you think…

Anonymous said...

Have the Dems. added turf to the capital budget?

I have not heard or seen any information related to fund raising for turf. I heard that the state will not be funding any such capital projects in the future, so are you sure you have your facts stright?

If you are sure your right please share your information and provide links to where the rest of us can read it. Have a great day!

Anonymous said...

It seems in Cheshire that the Republicans on the council along with Rep. Al are very good at getting pork for Cheshire. Didn't Al also get some money for the pool? I am not sure. Talk about a waste.

Anonymous said...

Tim, correct me if I'm wrong, but with the skate board park I believe that the original cost was to be 40 - 50 K. There was approx. 20 K left over from another park project (maybe it was extra from a parking lot at a park?)that was going to go toward the cost and there was supposed to be some fund raising. Then Al, on his own as far as I know, went ahead and asked for and received the 100K from the State. Even though the project only needed approx 25K or so to complete, you can't accept only part of the $100K. And am I correct in that the unused part of the $100K could be used for other town park improvements (like ball fields, etc)?
This is a far cry from $850K for a turf field - a project that never was approved by the BoE.

Tim White said...

To the best of my memory, the skateboard park was originally supposed to be $50k... and $25k or so had been privately funded. Then Al found a state program that offered funding for skateboard parks (in fact, I remember seeing the program on the state website... it was included with grants for "boating docks"... don't ask... I have no idea... I just remember there was a webpage that included grants for "skateparks" and "boating docks."

Anyway, Al got $100k, the town spent $85k or so on the skate park and I believe the balance was used on other Bartlem park stuff... but I'm really not 100% on that... this was a few years ago... so I don't recall specifically.

And one difference between the skatepark and turf... the skate park was thru some sort of competitive grant program. I believe the turf is headed directly to the bonding commission... no grant application involved.

Anonymous said...

The state will not give Cheshire one dime for turf so you can write about it all you want there will be no money comming.

It is funny that the state has paid for field all over the state. So Cheshire tax payers should feel good that they have paid for fields in Wallingford, East Haven, Wolcott, Watertown, etc... We pay and pay our income/sales taxes and we get very little in return.

Anonymous said...

Schrumm got angry with the Democrats on the council when the Dems asked where the money for Doolittle playground came from, said something like you should not crit. parents who want for their school Now he has the gall to crit parents for turf-which had a large crowd in the chambers that night.

Anonymous said...

Comparing a playground at Doolittle School and turf at Cheshire High School is totally off base. The high school turf has a price tag of $1M.

Anonymous said...

We waste too much time writing about one person on this blog. He has no power or control. We should focus on what matters, the people of Cheshire and not just lost old soul.

Anonymous said...

Wow the turf keeps getting more expensive, it went from $500k to a million, fast inflation or just fast with the facts?

Anonymous said...

No you cant rail vs the people who want turf and then gladly take money for Doolittle and get pissed at those who ask question-more inconsistant behavior

Anonymous said...

Because in Schrumm's mind taking the money is not wrong if it is for one of his pet projects, like the linear park. Something that he could careless about it is an issue. That is why people have lost repect for him.

Anonymous said...

July - Lieberman – troops will return in December - Scrhumm – playground pork is good

December - Lieberman – lets send more troops - Shcrumm – turf pork is bad

Anonymous said...

2:52PM From what I understand Cheshire is trying to get the state to fund $500K for the turf project. The remaining $500K was to come from various athletic organizations, private donations and the Booster Club. The way things are going with the state I doubt this will happen.

Anonymous said...

Give it up with the Schrumm bashing. You must be some really insecure person to continually come out with this stuff. How do you know what the guy thinks. Stop trying to speak for him. And if you claim he did say something at least, like Tim says, refer to the minutes where it's stated. Otherwise, zip it or try coming up with some intelligent remarks about the topics at hand.

Anonymous said...

Hey 8:54 you understand from who? I would like to know so I can follow-up and see if in fact this is true. Let us all know who that is.