http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2005/05/25/blackdir.htm
May 25, 2005 Peace group's land buy could cost taxpayers $53,603 By John Sullivan Times Herald-Record [EMAIL PROTECTED] The purchase of 818 acres of Black Dirt farmland in Goshen by Global Country of World Peace will likely cost taxpayers about $54,000, with the largest impact on residents of the Goshen School District. If the new owner were to pay the regular taxes on the land – without an agricultural exemption – that would come to about $91,000 However, since the land is eligible for agricultural tax exemptions, taxpayers will likely have to pick up $53,603 in taxes deferred for the nonprofit, the office said. County Real Property Director John McCarey calculated the loss to the county, the Town of Goshen and Goshen schools at $7,014, $6,852 and $39,737, respectively. The total amount is the same as "what an average farmer would pay (in property taxes)," he said. Orange County and Town of Goshen officials have vowed to fight the exemption. According to the state Office of Real Property Services, 3.4 percent of property value in Orange County was lost to nonprofits in 2003, the most recent year on record. That amount is average compared to surrounding county figures, such as Ulster with 2.8 percent and Sullivan with 5 percent. The figure for the state is 2.9 percent. Orange County Legislator Tom Pahucki, D-Town of Goshen, said he welcomes the organic farming group, "but they're going to have to bring their checkbooks along, just like everybody else." Town of Goshen Councilman Ken Newbold is talking with the town building inspector about ways to fight the deferral. Representatives of Global Country, a global nonprofit organization founded by the spiritual leader, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, did not return calls yesterday. To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
