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Doxsey said 47 percent of the land in Fairview is occupied by not-for-profits, and therefore the organizations "are not paying anything towards emergency services."
According to Doxsey's report, attempting to get money for fire services from non-profits to decrease tax strain on residents is not yet plausible. He said most of the non-profits in the district are unwilling to offer financial compensation to offset the burden.
"We know that there is no help from Marist - more than what they have already contributed - nor Dutchess (Community College), nor the other non-profits," Doxsey said.
"One of the non-profits is willing to give us $1,000. It doesn't hurt, but it's certainly not the answer," he said.
Doxsey went on to explain that the fire district must obey state mandates that demand the district's colleges, hospitals and other not-for-profits receive free fire services.
Doxsey mentioned changing the district's status to a "special district" or a "company" in order to demand payment from non-profits.
He then addressed the newest suggestion for a Fairview remedy: a merger of Fairview's with neighboring fire districts, such as Arlington. The expected result of the merger is that it would even Fairview's highly unbalanced ratio of tax-exempt property to taxpayers.
The district lies between Hyde Park and Poughkeepsie borders. Doxsey discussed the Fairview merger mostly in relation to Poughkeepsie residents. He explained that the merger could result in Fairview's Poughkeepsie residents being absorbed in the Arlington fire district.
When asked who would provide fire services to the Hyde Park section, Doxsey directed questions to Supervisor Pompey Delafield, who agreed to meet with other officials invited by Doxsey to discuss Fairview's issues.
Those who also agreed to attend the meeting were Assemblyman Joel Miller, Marist President Dennis Murray, and Poughkeepsie Supervisor Pat Meyers.
Doxsey credits decreasing property value as a possible complication in the merger solution.
"The way I look at it, with our housing market going down, the (tax) levy will go up to compensate for housing," he said.
Doxsey said the cost-effectiveness of a merger must be assessed first, as well as other logistics. If the merger occurs, it is still unknown as to who would cover the fire services of Fairview's Hyde Park residents.
Virginia Buechelle, co-coordinator of Fairness for Fairview, said that anything less than a countywide merger "is not going to work because you're not spreading it out over a wide enough tax base."
Buechelle continued by saying that as long as Steinhaus continues to refuse to work with residents and lawmakers, a countywide merger is not possible.
Smith gets 30 minutes:
The discussion of these issues, and the uncertainty about how to settle them, set the stage for the later entrances of Smith and Miller.
Smith started his 30 minutes by explaining he was going to talk about problems faced by Dutchess County as a whole, rather than issues specific to Fairview residents.
He acknowledged the citizens who cannot afford their current property taxes and the loss of manufacturing jobs in the state. He discussed his solutions for such problems, including a "new energy economy" and universal healthcare.
Smith connected his discussion of healthcare to the purpose of the Fairview meeting by saying property taxes are one of many "systemic issues" that have contributed to "how New York is broken."
"If we can pass universal healthcare," Smith continued, "we save money on our property taxes."
Smith supported the statement by saying 15 percent of school budgets are used to provide healthcare to staff and faculty.
Smith then said he would provide "immediate tax relief." He said this topic was relevant to Fairness for Fairview's agenda.
"The biggest trouble we face right now is the property tax issue," he said. "(People are) being forced out of their homes or can't afford to stay here at all.
"I have a plan," he continued.
He referred to what is called a "circuit breaker proposal" - a percentage-based tax cap for which legislation was being pursued by New York bipartisan groups in March.
"We're going to pass $1.6 billion in tax relief," Smith promised.
"Anything over 5 percent of your income, you don't have to pay, and that's it," he said. "Of course, it's more complicated than that, but that's the first step."
Smith then mentioned other tax relief alternatives that would directly affect Fairness for Fairview's fight, such as a payment in lieu of taxes program or the possibility of non-profits being funded by the state so the free services normally offered to non-profits would be paid for. Smith said he knew legislation for such funding "is out there."
"I want to assure you that this is foremost on my mind," Smith said, and reminded attendees of his involvement with Stop the Sprawl, a campaign for smart development in Hyde Park.
He then opened the platform to the public, after which he was asked about other broad-scope issues such as Medicare. Smith used the open platform section as an opportunity to discuss his plan for a millionaire tax and talk about the need for a better education system.
The discussion was geared back toward Fairview by resident Bill Rubin.
"What, if anything, do you see yourself doing to help with this consolidation of the fire district?" he asked.
Smith answered that he felt Albany needed new faces and fresh ideas to solve its "bottleneck" problem, referring to the partisan stalemate of New York's current split-majority government.
Smith gave the same answer when Fairview firefighter Tim O'Connor, of Poughkeepsie, proposed that Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was the cause of Albany's bottleneck situation, and questioned Smith's ability to achieve what Fairness for Fairview has been working for without being able to remove state government's most powerful figures.
Smith did provide the organization with encouragement, telling Ann Sutherland of Poughkeepsie to peacefully "make some noise" in Albany.
"You want to go up when you have some preparations made. You want media there," Smith advised.
Miller on the offensive:
Miller's approach was different. He spent less time speaking about broad-scope issues. He also spent less time answering questions.
Miller began by referencing his "14 years in Albany," and said his experience is proof he will not lie to citizens about what changes are possible.
The assemblyman also said he wanted to use the platform to "debunk" Smith's claims that he has made promises he did not deliver and is owned by energy companies. Miller then said that Smith received $60,000 from Silver this year.
"Shellie Silver doesn't care about Fairview," Miller said.
Miller went on to describe various tax-cap proposals he has seen and does not like.
"I am the sponsor of three of the circuit breaker bills," Miller said. "I like the Sayward-Little bill."
Miller explained that the Sayward-Little circuit breaker proposal developed tax cap percentages that increase based on income levels.
The first example he gave of such percentages was a 7 percent tax on a $50,000 income, and said anything over 5 percent of one's income would be covered by the state.
"This last bill had a series of incomes and a series of percentages - but those things change all the time - but that's what I'd like to pursue," he said.
Miller did not clarify further.
He then proceeded to discuss STAR rebates and his desire to focus tax relief for those earning a lower income. He also detailed other plans that he found unsatisfactory for tax relief.
Miller addressed the inadequacy of New York's budget.
"There's no great skill to find new ways to tax and torment people," he said. "The answer is stop spending."
He reverted back to a discussion on income-based taxation, saying Albany does not want any part of it, but that Albany likes the idea of a circuit breaker.
Miller eventually touched on a Fairview issue when he said mandates on fire departments are essential, but that they should be amended.
"We should review our mandates to make sure that we're not asking fire departments to do things that they can't afford, that are wasteful," Miller said.
He then, again, assured his listeners that a circuit breaker is necessary.
Miller provided a detailed assessment of Fairview's situation and a review of solutions that have not worked so far. He said he has worked on making it possible for Fairview to bill for ambulance calls, but experienced a setback when it was discovered that Fairview's tax-exempt figures were calculated at a too-high 70 percent.
Miller floundered with the percentage before an audience member corrected him, saying it is a steady 47 percent.
Miller said if Fairview were to eliminate its ambulance service, another proposal for tax relief, it would save very little, if any, money.
"Marist is the good guy," Miller said, contrary to Doxsey's report.
He compared the school to Vassar, saying that at least Marist had contributed some money while Vassar has not offered anything to Arlington's fire department.
Miller also explained that budget cuts in the department are not easily met. Aside from saying that he does not believe staff should be diminished, Miller also noted that the types of tax-exempt properties in Fairview's district are also what make up the crux of its condition.
"You need special equipment because these are high-rise buildings," Miller said.
Miller left little time for questions from the audience. As a result, Miller's statements were not challenged.
Residents respond:
Following the meeting, some in attendance said they were satisfied with the candidates' proposals, while many said they were not satisfied with either man.
Ann Sutherland of Poughkeepsie said she believes neither Smith nor Miller proposed any viable solution to Fairview's problems.
"They did not talk about solutions," she said. "They talked about change, but where?"
Kurt Hornick, co-coordinator of Fairness for Fairview, has higher hopes, although he admits he did not hear specific solutions.
"I left the meeting with a sense of an overall commitment from both candidates," Hornick said. "As to how it will get done, I don't think it was explained in enough detail to say."
