Public Can Learn About Reassessment at Council Meeting

by Tony Farina

Residents of Niagara Falls who want to learn more about the planned citywide property reassessment should make a point to attend next Tuesday’s (Sept. 6) council meeting at City Hall when officials including Assessor James Bird will brief lawmakers on the reassessment process.

Joining Bird in the briefing will be officials from the state’s Office of Real Property Tax Services and representatives from GAR Associates, a real estate valuation and consulting service contractor.

It would be the first citywide property reassessment in 14 years and as we reported in a July story, Council President Andrew Touma and Bird have stressed that it is unlikely that property owners will see major up-or-down changes in their assessments, with the possibility of a 10 to 15 percent increase very rare.

But despite their reassurances, more than two dozen taxpayers sounded off about their opposition to the planned reassessment on Aug. 21 at an informational meeting hosted by Bird and Councilman Kenny Tompkins.  Bird said at that meeting that the fluctuation in tax rates would be marginal and that the reassessment would more equitably distribute the city’s total tax burden.

Tompkins said about 60 percent of the calls he has received on the reassessment project have been against it, and some residents at the informational meeting complained that people already feel over-taxed for amount of services they receive from the city.

The presentation in council chambers on Tuesday is the next step in the process, to be followed by public hearings. Touma said on Wednesday that a final vote from the council on the reassessment is likely next month.

Seneca Tax-Free Gas Station Moves Forward

We reported in last week’s editions about the concern of city officials from Mayor Paul Dyster on down about the convenience store/gas station now under construction on Seneca land behind the casino on Niagara St.

The mayor has expressed concern about the damage unfair competition from a tax-free business would do to local businesses although the city seems powerless to stop it because it has little real leverage to act given the gaming compact between the state and the Senecas.

City lawmakers did pass and forward a resolution to the governor last May urging the governor’s office “take whatever action is necessary, included but not limited to legal action, in order to cause the Seneca Nation/Seneca Gaming Corporation to immediately cease construction of this gas station and convenience store located on the property of the Seneca Nation of Indians.”

Efforts to reach state officials about the situation have been unsuccessful and, apparently, whatever might be going on in talks between the state and the Senecas about what appears to be a clear violation of the compact, has not been made public.  We reported last week that Mayor Dyster, as he did during the four-year gaming stalemate, is working behind the scenes with all the parties in an attempt to deal with the situation, but there is no public sign that the convenience story/gas station stalemate is any closer to settlement.

   Hamister Story Never Ends

Just when you think you have read all you want to about the Hamister Hotel project on Rainbow Blvd. comes news that the state’s USA Niagara Development Corp. is recommending taxpayers cough up another $1 million in aid for the Buffalo developer on top of the $3.8 million in state taxpayer money already committed to the project.

As most of you know, ground was finally broken recently on the long-dormant Hyatt Hotel project thanks to $24 million from Goldman Sachs Bank after the developer chosen four years ago–Mark Hamister– couldn’t put the financing together to build the hotel project he won in a competition with several other developers.  It sure makes you wonder how he was ever awarded the project in the first place.

But I’ve already written lots of stories about the Hamister debacle, and so the latest news that the state was going to up its contribution is no great surprise because what’s another $1 million on top of the $3.85 million already in the pipeline to save the state from the ultimate embarrassment of a complete failure of the project that was hyped beyond belief just a few years ago as the development that would save downtown Niagara Falls.