POUGHKEEPSIE – Homeowners in Poughkeepsie will be paying 16.5 percent more in property taxes next year. The Common Council Monday night voted 4-4 on a motion to override Mayor Robert Rolison’s veto of 15 amendments to his budget. Six votes were needed.
Had the override succeeded, taxes still would have gone up over 13 percent.
There was no option to selectively override specific vetoes, something Democrat Mike Young wished were available.
Young said he had “serious questions.” He said he was compelled to listen to what outside experts were telling the city, particularly about revenues.
“I understand that the credit markets and various lenders including, as well as the state, are looking at this city and they are highlighting the fact that we placed in our budget revenues, speculative revenues that have not materialized; something that has happened in this city for years,” Young said.
Young opposed the override.
Another Democrat, Ann Perry, said she doesn’t support the mayor’s or the council’s budget.
“I would have preferred to see the people’s budget, a budget that fits the City of Poughkeepsie,” Perry said. “I don’t think that raising the taxes 16 percent, 16 and a half, 17 or whatever it is, is the right thing to do.”
Perry also was a ‘no’ on overriding.
Democrat Randall Johnson was worried about what was being cut from the budget.
“It’s a travesty to eliminate the lifeline of the city for our seniors, disabled, veterans and our youth,” Johnson said. “I’m not a supporter of either budget individually but since I have to choose between the two, I will choose the amendments and support the override.”
Council Chairman Christopher Petsas was blunt and to the point in saying the budget attempts to fix the finances of the city on the back of taxpayers,
“This is gentrification through taxation,” Petsas said. “This will push out the people that can barely afford to live here that want to live here and will no doubt change the fabrics of our neighborhood.”
Petsas, council Vice Chair Natasha Cherry, Randal Johnson and Lorraine Johnson
voted for overriding, but two more votes were needed.
As it stands, the budget will not fund the city bus system past the first
half of the year, meaning Dutchess County will pick it up from that point
going forward.
