Property and Income Taxes

Journal story.....


MIDDLETOWN

Income, property taxes projected down

MIDDlETOWN —
A projected $1 million shortfall in income tax and property tax collections could mean some difficult cuts to Middletown’s 2014 budget, according to city officials.

Early projections show 2013 income tax collections will be short by about $800,000 and property tax collections will be off by about $200,000.

City Manager Judy Gilleland said there have been some ups and downs, but it’s too early to see a true trend in this year’s revenue projections.

ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT GILLELAND? PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS SHOULD HAVE A HISTORY BEHIND PREDICTING HOW MUCH THE CITY WILL RECEIVE. THE HOUSING MARKET TOOK A BIG HIT IN 2008 AND THE PROPERTY VALUES/TAXES HAVE BEEN STEADILY DECLINING SINCE THEN. YOU HAVE AT LEAST 5 YEARS OF DATA TO MAKE YOUR PREDICTIONS. LOOK AT THE AUDITORS WEBSITE AND SEE THE DECLINE IN ANY MIDDLETOWN PROPERTY.

YOU SHOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO DO SOME PROJECTIONS ON THE INCOME LEVELS AND THE MONEY COLLECTED FROM THAT SOURCE. YOU KNOW THAT AK HAS DOWNSIZED. WE'VE LOST ALOT OF INDUSTRY AND THE JOBS YOUR ADMINISTRATION HAVE BROUGHT TO THIS TOWN HAVE NOT BEEN EXACTLY HIGH ROLLER WAGES. MOST PAY SERVICE INDUSTRY WAGES WHICH ARE ON THE LOW END OF THE SCALE AND THE INDUSTRY JOBS ARE "INDUSTRIAL PARK" JOBS PAYING, WHAT, $10 to $15 AN HOUR? NOT GONNA GET ENOUGH REVENUE FROM THE TYPES OF JOBS OFFERED IN THIS TOWN TO RAISE AN EYEBROW ARE WE?

“We need to examine our revenue over the next several months before we can have any credible predictions,” she said

MERCY

Councilman Josh Laubach, chair of council’s finance subcommittee, said the numbers could balance out as the year proceeds, but he is concerned the city won’t hit its income and property tax revenue targets. If it doesn’t then, “We’ll have to start to tap into the unencumbered fund (also know as the rainy day fund),” he said

NOTHING NEW. BEEN DONE BEFORE BY COUNCILS

While Gilleland remains “cautiously optimistic,” she said city staff is “keeping a close eye on the monthly revenue receipts” because there may have to be some “tough decisions” made.

“The good thing is that we are seeing a stabilization of our local economy,” Gilleland said. “Things seem to be evening out in Middletown.”

"EVENING OUT IN MIDDLETOWN" ????? HOW DO YOU FIGURE?

The city will see a new multimillion Hampton Inn open today, which will bring new jobs and potentially new visitors. The city is also seeing strong revitalization of its downtown and East End and businesses opening and expanding along the industrial corridor of Yankee Road

THE HAMPTON INN AND THE DOWNTOWN OFFER JOBS THAT WON'T PRODUCE INCOME TAXES WORTHY OF NOTE. NOT GONNA GET MUCH OUT OF SERVICE/HOTEL JOBS OR RESTAURANT/RETAIL WAGES. PROBABLY DO BETTER WITH THE FEW COMPANIES DOWN ON YANKEE.

“We’re bringing in jobs monthly, we’re bringing in new homes, we’re demolishing (dilapidated) homes,” Gilleland said. “We’re working on all of the key priorities to move the city forward so that our economy remains stable.”

NOPE.....TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE. HAD DECADES TO GET THINGS ACCOMPLISHED AND NO EFFORT WAS MADE. AGAIN, THE JOBS BROUGHT IN ARE PRIMARILY LOW PAYING JOBS. THE NEW HOMES ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB THOUGH DEMOLISHING EVERYTHING IN SIGHT.

“I think we’re going to see still some significant cuts to our organization over the next couple of years,” said Gilleland.

YES JUDITH, A RESULT OF A POOR ECONOMY AND POOR PLANNING ON YOUR PART BY STARTING TOO LATE, HAVING THE WRONG FOCUS ON DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION RATHER THAN THE PRIMARY FOCUS BEING ON DECENT JOBS CREATING REVENUE AND TOTALLY MIS-SPENDING THE CITY MONEY THAT YOU DO HAVE. PROBABLY NOT A BAD IDEA TRIMMING GOVERNMENT POSITIONS, HOPEFULLY ELIMINATING HIGH SALARY PAPERSHUFFLERS AND ELIMINATING ALL THE ASSTS. TO THE ASSISTS.

While specifics in the 2014 budget will be discussed in the time leading up to talks this fall, the finance subcommittee will recommend to City Council that it identify funds for streets and keep streets, police and fire as priorities

THE BASICS. HOW MANY FEEL THE CITY WILL TAKE THE ADVICE OF THE FINANCE SUBCOMMITTEE, PARTICULARLY ON THE SUBJECT OF STREETS?

Amen Mr.Adkins lives in west chester what does he really care It's a job that's all. He doesn't care how it really affects us who live here.