The case against the transfer tax

To the editor: The “Warwick Smart Growth Alliance” puts forth many bogus arguments to support the new three-quarter point transfer tax on our property. Restricting development by placing “development rights” in the back pocket of a committee will not reduce the cost of education. State and federal law - along with unions - control school costs, not farmers and open spaces. Every year taxpayers save farmers and this year is no different. Our two senators recently proposed a $6.5B bailout for them. So why duplicate bailouts or encourage the loss of property rights? How soon will it be before someone comes after yours? Recently the Village of Warwick was required by federal and state law to clean and repair two village reservoirs. Later village sewers backed up and the DEC intervened, citing a violation of Article 17-803 of the Environmental Conservations Law. The “smart growth gang” didn’t offer their expertise, labor or money to fix these problems. They didn’t have to since government regulates every drop of water. Since the sixties these “professors” have been instructing their students and telling us how smart they are so this shouldn’t have to be a refresher course. But here goes, water is protected, go pee in the reservoir and you’ll find out! Take the time and read the list of property the “smart growth gang” wants to control. First, you will have to do a cross reference since the properties listed are by parcel number, not the street address or property owner. This was done intentionally. Many of the properties listed are already set aside including state, county and town land. (Why would “we the people” pay a cent for property rights that we already control?) There is a lot of vacant property zoned commercial on “their” hit list including the property where Hannaford’s intends to build a much-needed and wanted food store. Of course, we must save the black dirt (already protected lands) around the Pine Island golf course. Why? Well, who owns that golf course? The smart group put this long list of property together to get us to hyperventilate over worthless swamp, property owned by religious groups, muck land, a prison and a quarter acre owned by the Florida School. Also on their list is land in Monroe and New Hampton. Much of the “Warwick Smart Growth Alliance” is a merger between “Community 2000” and “It’s Our Town” - two predator gangs that worked themselves onto village and town committees for the sole purpose of restricting use of property, thereby eliminating housing for low income and minorities. These same property predators teamed with the village board to take the CVS property from the rightful owners, a mother and her two daughters. Then they were known as the “I want a grocer” crowd. Stomp your foot when you say that. Interestingly this is the same gang looking to stop Hannaford’s. This smarter-than-us group will use this committee and “officially” place itself in the way of everyone, raising costs on everyone while stopping all they can! In November on Election Day, vote “NO” transfer TAX. Let these conspirators go home to leave the good citizens of Warwick alone to drink their own Kool Aid! Stan Mocarsky Warwick