C T A - News Letter
March 13th, 2009 — my3crows
Get On Board!
If you are not already a part of the Clayton Taxpayers Association NOW is the time to get started. After the huge increases in the 2008 tax assessments and bills everyone in the region should be a part of this group. There is still time to become a part of the process of getting some relief from the tax challenges we are all encountering. The group will send out this newsletter regularly to help you understand what we are planning and how it should help all of our tax issues. For additional background please contact William Salisbury by email at my3crows@hughes.net or go to:
http://www.claytontaxpayers.com/
Get On Board! NOW
Spring is ready to bloom!
It has been a long cold winter for many but relief is in sight. Our “RIVER” will open soon. Shipping for the 2009 season is scheduled to begin on March 31. The ice breaker will pass through a few days before. The word is that the ice is getting “punky” because of the extended sunshine and warmer days. It won’t be long before those living on the river will be able to put their boats in the water.
Many families will return to the river by mid-April to open their homes for the season. Full timers will start cleaning their yards and getting ready for warmer weather. Everyone is looking forward to another wonderful season on the St. Lawrence River.
Here’s the GOOD NEWS
The goal of 35 participants to support the commitment to the legal process is very close to being realized. Most of these people made a commitment in the fall of 2008 and have been good to their word by following through in submitting their paperwork and check. If you have not yet sent your paperwork and check please do so immediately. Atty. Beebe is preparing his plan and will tell us when he can no longer include other participants.
Networks around the entire river community on the mainland and on the islands of Grindstone, Murray, Grennell Round and Bluff have been very supportive. The word about CTA and the action we are planning has spread quickly and numerous families who were not part of the fall commitments are now On Board.
There is still time to participate if you contact the group soon.
Formalization of CTA
Attorney Beebe is preparing the proper application to formalize the Clayton Taxpayers Association. Once the process has been completed we must meet as members to select a board of directors and choose our leadership. The first meetings will probably be held in early May of 2009. The actual dates will be sent to you through an email letter. As the group expands our message will become stronger. Many families were not aware of the effort that was being undertaken and are now pleased to support the activity.
Learning “How to Grieve”
Within the next few weeks you will be receiving your preliminary 2009 tax assessments. EVERYONE who is participating in the CTA legal action must complete the grievance process for 2009. The best resource for learning “how to grieve” most effectively is a book by JOE PACINE about the process. (Currently available at The Winged Bull Studio), in Clayton. We recommend that all members read this publication and use it as a guideline to prepare their personal grievance papers ( Pass it around). As a group we will try to find a member who can provide all members with a summary of the publication that can also be used as a guideline.
Last year many, many families who should have grieved did not because of the misleading information on their preliminary tax assessment statement. They felt that their actual taxes would change very little with the new assessment. Most were very, very wrong and realized that when their actual tax bills arrived.
Taxes are PAID!
By now you’ve paid your first 2009 tax bill and are still in shock over how these huge increases are affecting your family and your life. The world economic situation is very uncertain and yet our taxes have gone out of sight. Everyone is hoping that the new assessments coming this spring will be better than the last but in reality they probably won’t be. Word from the street tells us that while some of our country’s real estate values have dropped from 20 to 40% values around the river may not have. We’ll have to wait and see.
The increases we experienced last year were unprecedented and historically unfair. What are we going to do about it?
If you are not yet committed:
Get On Board!
Get On Board! NOW
Who is Attorney Robert Beebe?
Attorney Robert Beebe is:
· A top lawyer in this field.
· He came highly recommended by other groups including a few much larger than ourselves from the Adirondacks.
· He was the Consul General for the New York Sate Office of Real Property Services for 18 years (ORPS).
· He knows when a township has crossed the line and can prove this with the letter of law.
· His web site is listed under the links tab on our website. www.claytontaxpayers.com
What are the intentions of the CTA litigation vs. the Town of Clayton?
- To have our township re-assessed by a legitimate assessment firm from outside the area.
- To have our taxes lowered to the previous levels,
- To be frozen at those levels for 3 years,
- To be reimbursed for any over payment of taxes during the span of the litigation.
- To have our legal costs reimbursed.
All these things are standard results sought in cases like ours and are all or in part a result of the judge’s decision as to the illegal manner in which the 100% re-evaluation was done in 2008.
CTA News
Clayton Taxpayers Association
Thank You to Jim Ludwig,/ Bluff Is. For getting this letter done!!