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ShareTown, Wal-Mart settle dispute
Officials agree to reduce retailer’s assessment
By Colin DeVries
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
CATSKILL — Avoiding a costly legal battle, the Town of Catskill has agreed to reduce Wal-Mart’s property value assessment in the village.
The town board unanimously approved a $1.67 million reduction on the retail conglomerate’s Catskill Commons store property. This reduces the assessed value from $15,168,200 to $13,500,000.
The agreement was made between the Wal-Mart Real Estate Business Trust and the Town of Catskill to avoid pending tax certiorari litigation, as recommended by the Daniel G. Vincelette, the town’s trial counsel.
The reduction will remain in effect for 2010, 2011 and 2012.
In addition to the store property, Wal-Mart also owns a vacant parcel adjacent to Clothespin Laundromat & Dry Cleaning. That parcel, valued at $38,500, will not be affected by the settlement.
Wal-Mart properties, owned officially by Catskill Realty Associates, LTD, have been subject to assessment reductions and exemptions since the store’s opening in early 2007.
In 2009, Wal-Mart was exempt $5,183,280 from the $15,168,200 property assessment on its 19-acre store property, resulting in a taxable property value of $9,984,920.
Wal-Mart, whose net profits totaled $14.3 billion last year, also received an assessment exemption of $5,831,190 in 2008.
The exemptions are part of real property tax statute 485-b which enables businesses to be exempt from a percentage of taxation over a 10-year period after construction is complete.
It is a sliding-scale exemption, beginning at 50 percent of the increased property assessment value in the first year and decreasing by 5 percent each following year.
The store property will be entering its third year under the exemption. It will end in 2017.
According to Supervisor Peter Markou, the town could not afford to fight another tax certiorari case.
“We’ve already spent $75,000 in assessment cases,” Markou said. “That’s more than I’ve budgeted for.”
The town’s 2010 budget included $40,000 for assessment litigation.
In 2008, the Wal-Mart store property was levied $58,019 in town and county taxes, and $70,146 in 2009.
According to county tax records, the property was to be levied $75,514 in county and town taxes this year.
To reach reporter Colin DeVries please call 518-943-2100 ext. 3325, or e-mail cdevries@thedailymail.net.
The town board unanimously approved a $1.67 million reduction on the retail conglomerate’s Catskill Commons store property. This reduces the assessed value from $15,168,200 to $13,500,000.
The agreement was made between the Wal-Mart Real Estate Business Trust and the Town of Catskill to avoid pending tax certiorari litigation, as recommended by the Daniel G. Vincelette, the town’s trial counsel.
The reduction will remain in effect for 2010, 2011 and 2012.
In addition to the store property, Wal-Mart also owns a vacant parcel adjacent to Clothespin Laundromat & Dry Cleaning. That parcel, valued at $38,500, will not be affected by the settlement.
Wal-Mart properties, owned officially by Catskill Realty Associates, LTD, have been subject to assessment reductions and exemptions since the store’s opening in early 2007.
In 2009, Wal-Mart was exempt $5,183,280 from the $15,168,200 property assessment on its 19-acre store property, resulting in a taxable property value of $9,984,920.
Wal-Mart, whose net profits totaled $14.3 billion last year, also received an assessment exemption of $5,831,190 in 2008.
The exemptions are part of real property tax statute 485-b which enables businesses to be exempt from a percentage of taxation over a 10-year period after construction is complete.
It is a sliding-scale exemption, beginning at 50 percent of the increased property assessment value in the first year and decreasing by 5 percent each following year.
The store property will be entering its third year under the exemption. It will end in 2017.
According to Supervisor Peter Markou, the town could not afford to fight another tax certiorari case.
“We’ve already spent $75,000 in assessment cases,” Markou said. “That’s more than I’ve budgeted for.”
The town’s 2010 budget included $40,000 for assessment litigation.
In 2008, the Wal-Mart store property was levied $58,019 in town and county taxes, and $70,146 in 2009.
According to county tax records, the property was to be levied $75,514 in county and town taxes this year.
To reach reporter Colin DeVries please call 518-943-2100 ext. 3325, or e-mail cdevries@thedailymail.net.
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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of thedailymail.net.
Mingthe Merciless wrote on May 5, 2010 11:37 AM:
" So after giving Wallly World a break for ten years how many businesses will be viable in Catskill? "
Adriennevandonck wrote on May 5, 2010 12:21 PM:
" So according to Markou, "we" -that you and me, fellow citizens, not Markou, who I never got a chance to vote for - "WE" decided that "we" couldn't "afford to litigate a tax challenge from Wal-Mart."
What about the negative impact in national PUBLICITY if the citizens were rallied to go negative on Wal-Mart asking us to PAY THEIR TAXES? Because that, in essence is what this is all about.
Let me break it down another way. I pay 3,085 in town taxes as of last year against an assessment of $410,750. Wal-Mart is paying only 24X's what I pay along with my familly??!! And they have sucked money away from Main Street to boot. THAT MY FELLOW TEA BAGGERS IS AN OUTRAGE, not that they pay the vast majority of their 'part-time' employees any health benefits. They don't even qualify until they 'pass probation.'
Think it's nice that they hire the handicapped? They don't have to pay them MINIMUM WAGE. They got an exemption from that too.
Now why is it that Tea Baggers call this kind of Corporate Welfare "Free Enterprise???" Who Pays? WE DO!!
Even on a dumb acre per acre basis Wal-Mart's site is a hell of a lot bigger than my lot. Plus, I don't run a business in my house, unless you call paying checks to the Town, Village, School District, Sewer Dept. and God Knows who else my business. I'm not counting all the other taxes I pay either.
It's robbery and our politicians are gutless crooks to let them get away with it. But, I don't mean to call Markou a crook, or a pol. because we didn't even elect him, did we? "
What about the negative impact in national PUBLICITY if the citizens were rallied to go negative on Wal-Mart asking us to PAY THEIR TAXES? Because that, in essence is what this is all about.
Let me break it down another way. I pay 3,085 in town taxes as of last year against an assessment of $410,750. Wal-Mart is paying only 24X's what I pay along with my familly??!! And they have sucked money away from Main Street to boot. THAT MY FELLOW TEA BAGGERS IS AN OUTRAGE, not that they pay the vast majority of their 'part-time' employees any health benefits. They don't even qualify until they 'pass probation.'
Think it's nice that they hire the handicapped? They don't have to pay them MINIMUM WAGE. They got an exemption from that too.
Now why is it that Tea Baggers call this kind of Corporate Welfare "Free Enterprise???" Who Pays? WE DO!!
Even on a dumb acre per acre basis Wal-Mart's site is a hell of a lot bigger than my lot. Plus, I don't run a business in my house, unless you call paying checks to the Town, Village, School District, Sewer Dept. and God Knows who else my business. I'm not counting all the other taxes I pay either.
It's robbery and our politicians are gutless crooks to let them get away with it. But, I don't mean to call Markou a crook, or a pol. because we didn't even elect him, did we? "
Joe the Real wrote on May 5, 2010 9:05 PM:
" $14.3 Billion in selling junk from China to unemployed Americans. Whoopdeedoo. Now that's the American Way. Love the way I get hit on to contribute to everyone's Little League, Drug Clinic, etc. when I walk in and out, and then, they declare that as a "community service component" and they take a deduction for the 'pro-bono' accessing of their entrances.
You folks have drunk the Kool Aid. You think Obama's the problem and Wal-Mart who is paying, by the way, about 1/1200 per dollar, per acre what YOU ARE in taxes is just fine American Enterprise. These IDA whores have sold your children into slavery, not Obama. Wake up tea baggers.
Watch them distract you with car bombs while they rob you all blind. "
You folks have drunk the Kool Aid. You think Obama's the problem and Wal-Mart who is paying, by the way, about 1/1200 per dollar, per acre what YOU ARE in taxes is just fine American Enterprise. These IDA whores have sold your children into slavery, not Obama. Wake up tea baggers.
Watch them distract you with car bombs while they rob you all blind. "
ScottKai wrote on May 5, 2010 11:16 PM:
" Isn't it amazing! European countries will not let Walmart get away with this b.s. They even pay European workers better then here. Way to go, bending over to the corporate pressure Walmart is so well known for. Shame on our town board! Shame on Walmart for quibbling over a legitimate tax bill which would put a meager dent in their 14.3 BILLION dollar profit. Maybe next year, Markou & Co., you may consider overrunning your certiorari litigation budget against Walmart first, rather than the other smaller businesses & citizenry. "
Catskill Native wrote on May 6, 2010 3:36 PM:
" Well, to make it really simple if I take the rate per square foot I am charged in town taxes and multiply it times the INTERIOR square footage enjoyed by Wal-Mart as RETAIL space, it works out to $723,500.81 they'd be paying every year if this was a level playing field. I don't know about fascism, but it sure does smell like Corporate Welfare and Cronyism!
I also notice by their absence, "Santa," "CEMA", and the usual assortment of bloggers who love to mouth off about "big government" and 'corrupt politicians.' I guess to them taking care of Wal-Mart is different than beating up on some poor guy who got busted for growing weed in his basement, or some dumb teen who got arrested for robbery. To me it's robbery in broad daylight. If ANY store on Main Street would start a protest and petition and post it here I'd go int their store and sign & order something too, just to send a message.
Guts anyone? "
I also notice by their absence, "Santa," "CEMA", and the usual assortment of bloggers who love to mouth off about "big government" and 'corrupt politicians.' I guess to them taking care of Wal-Mart is different than beating up on some poor guy who got busted for growing weed in his basement, or some dumb teen who got arrested for robbery. To me it's robbery in broad daylight. If ANY store on Main Street would start a protest and petition and post it here I'd go int their store and sign & order something too, just to send a message.
Guts anyone? "
CEMA wrote on May 6, 2010 11:48 PM:
" Hey CatNat, its nice to be missed! "
You're right, every taxpayer in Catskill should threaten a tax revolt and see what the spineless town will do. Don't just talk tea party, DO IT! However - and not-for-nothin,' Walmart brings in a boatload of sales tax revenue (4% is seen locally) and it employs a lot of blue collars. Plus, the town would certainly lose a war with Walmart in any court where they can bully a local putz town attorney, and Marko knows it.. "C-ya "
You're right, every taxpayer in Catskill should threaten a tax revolt and see what the spineless town will do. Don't just talk tea party, DO IT! However - and not-for-nothin,' Walmart brings in a boatload of sales tax revenue (4% is seen locally) and it employs a lot of blue collars. Plus, the town would certainly lose a war with Walmart in any court where they can bully a local putz town attorney, and Marko knows it.. "C-ya "
adriennevandonck wrote on May 7, 2010 2:16 PM:
" CEMA's right about the court of law. The town should hire a publicist instead and get the media interested. That's all WalMart care about. "
round topper wrote on May 7, 2010 5:19 PM:
" Wal-Mart bought off the media, they are owned by giant corporations too. Ugggh. "
Patrick wrote on May 8, 2010 12:46 PM:
" WHAT IS THAT SMELL? Could it be CORRUPTION? I've never, ever, heard of a tax abatement program whose terms don't include a provision that bars the applicant from bringing a tax cert without forfeiting the exemption. Either the IDA and the Town/County are completely clueless jerks, or they have 'forgotten to mention' the fact that WalMart is violating the terms of its tax break by threatening to bring protest. As for the 4% local sales tax diversion, CEMA, wouldn't you be kind of curious for our County Pols to SHOW US THE MONEY? Money, that, by the way is MY MONEY and YOUR MONEY, not WALLY's!!! "
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Rogue wrote on May 5, 2010 10:02 AM: