Vote on transfer tax was close most everywhere

Warwick—The final tally after last week’s election was indicative that Warwick residents were split on the Community Preservation Act, or transfer tax. With a 3,640 to 3,429 outcome, the margin of victory for the legislation that will add .75 percent to real estate transactions within the town was not exactly considerable. Sixteen of the 31 districts approved the legislation; 15 did not. The three polling stations within Greenwood Lake—Districts 10, 11, and 14 located at the Greenwood Lake Senior Center, Greenwood Lake Recreation Hall, and Grace Lutheran Church—each defeated the measure. Together, it lost by a margin of 264-218 in the Village of Greenwood Lake. In the Village of Florida, the result was mixed. Districts 3, 15, and 28, located at the Florida Senior Center, SS Seward High School, and St. Edward’s Hall, comprise the village voters. In district 3, the measure passed by 5 votes, 80-75; in District 15, it lost by a margin of 97-56; in District 28 it went down 112-76. In total, Village of Florida residents said no to the transfer tax, 284-212. The Village of Warwick was a different story. Five of the seven districts in the Village of Warwick approved the measure, with District 8 at Fire Station 1 Goodwill Hook and Ladder and District 31 at Engine Company 3, the only two that didn’t. Village of Warwick residents said yes to the transfer tax with a vote of 787-733. Outside of the villages, there were some surprises. Voters in districts 1 and 24 in Pine Island voted it down. So did voters in district 4, Amity. Districts 2 and 12, which are located just outside of the Village of Florida, also voted in the negative. Town of Warwick Supervisor Michael Sweeton is a big supporter of the measure. He said he, too, was surprised at some of the results, but was heartened by others. “Pine Island and Amity were a big surprise to me,” said Sweeton. “I think what happened was the areas where we didn’t have enough people meeting voters one-on-one was where we did poorly. Where there was less effort made, the proposition did poorly. Where we had an opportunity to discuss and explain, people were more apt to support it.” The three districts that vote at Warwick Town Hall—districts 26, 21, and 16—all passed the proposition, some in a big way. District 26 on the southeast side of town passed it by 79 votes; district 16 had a 66 vote margin of victory. Sweeton was encouraged by the turnaround in districts near Greenwood Lake. In 1999, the voters in the Greenwood Lake School District, handily voted down the Purchase of Development Rights proposition. Last week’s election shows that, although the districts in the village itself voted negatively, two districts that border Greenwood Lake, districts 25 and 19, supported this measure. As a matter of fact, it won big in district 25, with a vote of 147-91. “I am somewhat encouraged by that,” he said, “because our board has worked hard to be fair with all areas of the town. I take this as a good thing.” District by district tallies District Yes No District 1 96 107 District 2 110 124 District 3 80 125 District 4 174 188 District 5 108 99 District 6 86 98 District 7 124 115 District 8 106 138 District 9 213 153 District 10 66 70 District 11 94 112 District 12 127 152 District 13 130 115 District 14 58 82 District 15 56 97 District 16 196 133 District 17 116 102 District 18 66 92 District 19 110 98 District 20 159 122 District 21 139 107 District 22 128 72 District 23 162 126 District 24 129 131 District 25 147 91 District 26 203 124 District 27 144 140 District 28 76 112 District 29 84 94 District 30 101 73 District 31 52 87 Totals 3,640 3,429