NEWBURGH – By a four-to-three vote, the Newburgh City Council Monday
night voted to hike property taxes for homeowners and business owners.
The majority rejected another proposal that would have lowered homeowner
taxes and substantially raised business property owner taxes.
The bottom line for the spending plan was the same in each scenario, but
the minority, including Councilman Torrance Harvey, said the residential
homeowners, in particular, senior citizens, cannot afford any tax hike.
Under the plan approved, homeowner taxes will increase by 13-cents per
$1,000 of assessed valuation while business property taxes will increase
by 30-cents per $1,000.
The plan that was rejected would have decreased homeowner taxes by 16-cents
per $1,000, but would have hiked business property owner taxes by 71-cents
per $1,000.
Rev. Nelson McAllister, a former councilman, and a senior citizen, said
the city council was acting much like the Boston Tea Party, said the city’s
situation was “taxation with representation.”
