Residents Come out in Force to Object to the Homestead Tax Option
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Residents came out in force on Tuesday night, February 25 to the Public Hearing at Village Hall on the adoption of the Homestead Tax Option. As the Village is now undergoing a tax revaluation, it must consider whether or not to adopt the Homestead Tax Option which was originally drafted to allow municipalities to shift the tax burden between commercial and residential properties following a revaluation. However, one provision of the law would allow the Village to change the way condominiums are assessed. Rather than assess them on their potential rental income, they would be assessed at market value, similar to single family homes. This would triple real estate taxes for 42 condo owners at Christie Place.
A Committee of the Scarsdale Forum studied the option and issued a report favoring its adoption, saying it was fair to all homeowners to be assessed on the same basis. The report was approved by the Forum membership which numbers over 400, by a vote of 11-8.
However, the Homestead Act had few fans at the Public Hearing on Tuesday. Residents, a former Mayor, realtors and the daughter of a resident came out to say why they opposed the adoption of the Homestead Act.
Former Mayor Peter Strauss came to the meeting to give some background on the original deal and to state his view on changing the tax status of the condos. He said, "Since I was involved with the establishment of Christie Place the Homestead proposal relates to my service as Mayor. I signed the deal with Ginsburg.... The application of the Homestead Bill would be out of proportion, unfair, and violate the principals agreed on with Ginsburg. ...We imposed rigid restrictions on the buyers of the properties. We brought the benefit of parking and financial income accruing to the Village treasury. It would be grossly unfair to impose a tax increase on those who purchased with one set of principals in exchange for inconsequential tax reductions to the other 5000 taxpayers in Scarsdale.... Fairness and consistency with past actions have been wise guideposts by our governing boards – I hope that the town board's rejection of the Homestead Act will continue that process."
William Sulzer, an attorney who was retained by the Christie Place tax owners, said, "Christie Place has been wonderful addition to the Village of Scarsdale...Ginsburg Development built parking with 220 spaces for village use and recaptured $350,000 per unit for the parking.... The Village received $325,000 per year for the parking spaces plus the revenue from meters. Christie Place residents pay the debt on a $2.7 million note, amounting to $137,000 per year. They pay for the cleaning of the garage."
Sulzer continued, "Homestead is not designed to generate revenue. The reval was done to correct inequities. Christie Place units was not part of the problem the Village sought to correct.... This is not the correct use of the law and it will result in diminished home values for these condo owners and create inequities between Scarsdale condo owners and those in other communities. This would be a short-sighted option for Scarsdale."
Doug Ulene, a former member of the Scarsdale Forum's Assessment Revaluation Committee, said, "I resigned from both the Forum and the Committee when I saw that the members of the Committee were hell-bent on conflating equality with fairness. They're not the same concepts, and one does not necessarily follow from the other. 7-year olds don't have the same bedtimes as 17-year olds. That would treat them in an equal manner, but it wouldn't be fair."
(Below are excerpts from his statement)
"The men and women who purchased residential condo units in Christie Place acted prudently. They were, after all, buying residences in Scarsdale. Who could have imagined that a village such as ours would be so heartless as to triple their property taxes just a few years later? Surely we, as a community, are better than that."
To paraphrase George Orwell, those who favor the adoption of the Homestead Tax Option appear to believe that without it, "All residents will be equal, but some residents will be more equal than others." However, unlike Orwell's fictional Animal Farm, the inequality to which these individuals object was created not by a handful of pigs, but rather by the majority of Scarsdale residents who favored the multipurpose redevelopment of Christie Place.
I believe that the Village got exactly what it bargained for, but today, a handful of vocal residents want you to improve that deal at the expense of 42 fellow residents who bought Christie Place condos in reliance on those units' favorable property tax assessments.
Today, in the name of "equality über alles" and $150 per year for the majority, advocates of the Homestead Tax Option are encouraging you to oppress the minority. Surely we, as a community, are better than that.
The adoption of the Homestead Tax Option violates the Golden Rule as I know it, and I encourage the Village Board to reject the calls of those who would triple property taxes on 42 residents in the name of equality and fairness. Surely we, as a community, are better than that."
Linda Dietz of Brewster Road said, "I am here because I feel it is wrong to adopt this act. Christie Place was marketed as a place for residents who had already raised their kids, to stay in town. The lower taxes were an inducement. Changing that now is not in the spirit in the deal.... I would like to see more units like that in the Village and I feel if we do this no one will ever buy in the Village again. It's a double cross."
Ed Vassalo who lives in Christie Place said, "What effect will this have on the annual taxes we pay and the resale value of our apartments? What will the value be after the taxes have doubled or tripled? How will I sell a 1,000 square foot apartment with a tax bill of $23,000 to people who can't send children to the school?"
Melvin Adler, also of Christie Place, said, "I moved to Christie Place because I didn't want to pay $30-$40,000 a year in taxes. All of us are senior citizens. On my floor there are 7 apartments – 5 occupied by widows. You are changing the rules. How many would live in Scarsdale if they tripled your taxes? I don't even understand why this is even being discussed."
Robert Berg, Chair of the Scarsdale Forum's Committee on Revaluation, was spoke in favor of Homestead. He asked, "Was there an agreement between the Village and the developer to maintain low property taxes?" When the Mayor responded, "No," Berg continued, "So the issue is with how Ginsburg represented the taxes to them ...You relied on what Ginsburg told you. This information was readily available and you should have had your lawyer look into it." He said, "57% of homeowners in Scarsdale have no children in the schools. Are you going to give them a tax break?" To which Mayor Steves replied, "Of course we won't!"
Berg said, "It's a simple issue to decide; fairness to everyone in the Village of Scarsdale. There are more than 5,000 people in the village, all taxed on the market value of their homes – why should Christie Place be assessed below market value?
We did the reval to get to fairness. A $1mm condo is worth the same as a $1 mm house in Quaker Ridge –why should the taxes be one third? The Village Board of Trustees has to pass Homestead before the Board of Education can decide. Why should you disenfranchise the Board of Education?"
Trustee Stern then said to Berg, "What about the co-ops who continue to get a pass on their taxes? Did the Forum consider this? Is that fair?" To which Berg replied, "We can only do what the law allows us to do– the Homestead Act does not permit this." Committee members Ed Morgan and Bob Harrison also spoke in favor of the option.
Laura Miller of 18 Leatherstocking Lane said, "My mother lives at Christie Place. She based her decision on the taxes and could afford to live there because the taxes were low. The increase would be prohibitive....When Ginsburg made that agreement there were no plans for the taxes to be changed....The condos have restrictions – 55 or older, 65 or older; young families are not able to buy these units and that should be reflected in the taxes. This is very surprising – and that should be taken into account."
On the Calendar: Bingo, the Homestead Tax Option and More
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Though things were relatively quiet this week, next week will be a busy one in Scarsdale. Here are announcements of meetings and events you may want to attend, plus a call out for candidates for the Scarsdale School Board and for participation in a survey to boost local businesses.
Homestead Tax Option: On Thursday, February 27th, at 7:30 PM at the Scarsdale Library, the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale will hold an information meeting open to the public regarding the Homestead tax option. The meeting will include a panel and allow for questions and answers. Find out what this could mean to you and the owner of condominiums in Scarsdale.
The Board of Architectural Review will meet on Monday night February 24 at 8 pm at Village Hall. Among the items on the agenda are applications to build new homes at 45 Cushman Road, 23 Vanderbilt Road, and at 2 and 36 Herkimer Roads. Also, back on the agenda is a revised application to demolish a substantial portion of 8 Heathcote Road, after the first application was denied.
The Finance Committee of the Village Board of Trustees will hold a public briefing session on Wednesday night February 26 at 7 pm to review the Village Budget for 2014-15. All residents are invited to attend and get informed on how your Village tax dollars will be allocated in the coming year.
The Scarsdale Planning Board will meet on Wednesday February 26 at 8 pm at Village Hall to consider subdivisions at 147 Bradley Road and Cushman and Garden Roads. Also on the agenda are new signs for The Scarsdale Medical Group on Heathcote Road and the Fox Meadow Tennis Club on Wayside Lane.
Bingo After Dark: A night of bingo, sponsored by the SHS PTA Scholarship Fund will be held on Wednesday February 26 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm in the Scarsdale High School Cafeteria. (Snow date February 27) The cost is $20 per adult (over 12) and $10 per child (12 and under) and the proceeds will go toward scholarships for SHS graduating seniors in-need to pay for their first year of college. Ticket includes bingo and sweet treats.
Tickets are available here or contact Suzanne Glaser at [email protected]. The organizers are also looking for high school students to assist with this event. Please help by setting up, working with younger children and their bingo cards during the event or baking/donating sweets. High School students are also encouraged to buy tickets to play Bingo with their friends. Contact Pam Fuehrer at [email protected] to sign up to help.
Buy Local Survey Deadline: The Scarsdale Chamber of Commerce and The Acceleration Project (TAP) are making a final call for participation in their survey. Survey results will help TAP make recommendations on how to make Scarsdale retailers thrive and how to help Scarsdale to be an attractive place to live, work, eat and shop.
Your input is essential – please click below to take this short survey:
CONSUMERS: Please click here.
BUSINESS OWNERS: Please click here.
Final Call for School Board Candidates: The Scarsdale School Board Nominating Committee (SBNC) is seeking candidates for nomination to the Scarsdale Board of Education. In the next few weeks, the SBNC will nominate two candidates to the School Board. Jonathan Lewis has recently announced that he will step down this year and will not seek re-election to a second term. An additional seat is available to fill the position currently held by Sunil Subbakrishna, who is completing his first term and is eligible for re-nomination. The SBNC invites all residents to propose candidates for the Board of Education. A candidate must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, a qualified voter, and a resident of the Scarsdale school district for at least one year prior to the school board election date in May. Candidates should complete a biographical information form and submit it via email to the SBNC Chair, John Clapp, at [email protected] as soon as possible, but no later than 5:00 PM on February 25, 2014. Forms are available at www.scarsdalesbnc.com. For more information on the SBNC, including the governing Resolution, information on the non-partisan system and a list of the current SBNC members, please visit the SBNC website or contact the SBNC Chair.
Sunday Night Chicken Dinner at Chateau Secor
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- Written by Jocelyn Greenky Herz
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On Sunday nights our blended family tries to squeeze a few more hours out of the weekend by inviting friends by for our famous chicken wings and all the fixings. There's usually a game on television and the steady stream of appetizers never fails to bring a line of friends to our door.
Our cozy house on Secor Road can accommodate up to ten dinner guests and we've found that a buffet style dinner works best. People can serve themselves and I can be a guest at my own party!
Accommodating many palates is our goal. Everyone in the family knows about Keith (my better half) and his famous chicken wings. He prepares dozens to please everyone from tweens and teens to my 83-year old parents! My guy knows how to cook and thank the Lord that he enjoys his role as chef and enthusiastic diner as well.
Our finger-licking menu is comprised of chicken wings, mashed potatoes and garlic bread. We make both spicy and non-spicy chicken wings to ensure everyone is a happy camper. The gourmet potatoes we now call "Mashed" have become a staple, so good that they banish any thoughts of the diet we keep to the rest of the week. The recipe for "Mashed" has evolved from taste tests performed in pubs around the world from London to Florida.
The garlic bread is easy to prepare and we make plenty of the paste at one time so we can use it whenever we have an urge for more bread. For irresistible garlic bread, combining butter, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, spread it on a fresh baguette and pop it in the oven to brown it.
Keith probably wouldn't want me to share this, but the secret to the spicy wings is Frank's Hot Sauce. This bottle of goodness makes perfect chicken wings for people who like Buffalo Chicken Wings. We've 
tasted many versions of store-bought blue cheese dressing and even tried making it ourselves, but Marzetti Ultimate Blue Cheese is as good as it gets. It's hands down the best tasting prepared blue cheese dressing you can get your hands on.
Serve the wings with celery, which you should be cut at the bottom to ensure crispness and finish the meal with ice cream. Our favorites are Trader Joe's French Vanilla ice cream and Trader Joe's Mint Chip ice cream.
Bon appetit!
Here are our family's secret recipes:
Syracuse Wings
Ingredients:
2 pounds of chicken wings, which are separated between the wing and drum.
1 bottle of Frank's Hot Sauce
Instructions:
1. Pour 1/3 cup of Frank's Hot Sauce in a bowl with the wings and toss. Marinate for 2 hours.
2. Pour another 1/3 cup of Frank's Hot Sauce in the bowl with the marinating wings. Toss to coat in fresh sauce.
3. Grilled on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes turning every 10 minutes.
4. Warm in the oven for 5-10 minutes at 175 degrees.
Serves 4-6
Lemon Garlic Pepper Wings
Ingredients:
2 ½ pounds wings, trimmed and separated
3/4 cup lemon juice
5 to 6 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
Instructions:
1. Place in wings in a large glass or enamel bowl and pour lemon juice, garlic and crushed peppercorns over the wings.
2. Sprinkle with salt, rosemary, and pour olive oil over wings and stir.
3. Marinate for 2 hours at room temperature, stirring occasionally to coat wings. Drain and reserve marinade.
4. Start barbecue or preheat broiler. Place wings on grill and barbecue until browned, about 15 to 20 minutes. Turn after 10 minutes and baste with marinade.
5. Transfer to a platter and serve.
Serves 4-6
Chateau Secor "Mashed"
Ingredients:
6 medium sized Yukon potatoes
½ stick of butter
1/3 cup of Crème Fraiche
1 tablespoon of Boursin cheese
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
2% milk
Instructions:
Bring butter, Crème Fraiche and Boursin cheese to room temperature.
1. Boil the potatoes until tender and fork easily pierces the skin. No salt added to the pot.
2. Use a ricer to mash potatoes leaving skin on.
3. Fold butter, Crème Fraiche, Boursin cheese and milk into the potatoes. Salt and pepper to taste. Faint and go to heaven
Serves: 4-6
Quaker Ridge Golf Club to Receive Large Tax Refund
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Quaker Ridge Golf Club will receive a tax refund of more than a half a million dollars from the Scarsdale School District as a result of a certiorari settlement that was finalized on November 18, 2013. The golf club contested their assessment from the years 2007 to 2013 and the N.Y.S. Supreme Court ordered the district to refund the club $519,698 as a result of a change in the capitalization formula that was used to compute assessments for golf courses. In a similar case on Long Island the assessment for the Hempstead Country Club was determined to be almost half of the value on which it was taxed for the years 2006 through 2009. This new capitalization formula was applied to the Quaker Ridge Golf Club and substantially reduced the club's assessment for 2007 through 2013.
Though the Scarsdale School district holds funds in reserve for tax certiorari, their estimate for the Quaker Ridge Golf Club case was only $136,838, leaving a budget shortfall of $308,000. When the district learned about the settlement in November 2013, it was too late to adjust the reserve fund which was finalized in June, 2013.
A resolution regarding the settlement was included in the agenda for the January 10, 2014 meeting for the Scarsdale Board of Education. Payment to the club will be taken from the district's general fund. Purvis told Scarsdale10583 that in some cases if the district needs to raise taxes to cover the expense of a legal settlement, the expense is exempt from the tax-cap calculation. However, in this case it is not.
In a discussion of district reserve funds at the January 27 meeting of the Scarsdale Board of Education, Board member Bill Natbony asked if there would be any further ramifications from this case. Will other golf courses follow suit and file for tax refunds? That is yet to be seen.
Will the Spin Crowd Flock to Flywheel?
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- Written by Stacie M. Waldman
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Attention Soul Cyclers: competitor Flywheel is set to open a major new facility just down the street. The Flywheel in Scarsdale will be the company's 26th site, and it will offer more than just cycling. The Scarsdale location will also have a FlyBarre studio, which is an intense body-sculpting class that makes use of light weights, dance, and core strengthening exercises. The routines are fast and fun, and constantly changing.
What's so special about Flywheel? The class is taught in the dark with a spotlight on the instructor. All participants have a good view of the instructor because the bikes are stationed on different levels. According to Alana Radmin, the press contact for Flywheel, Scarsdale's studio is set to have between 45-55 bikes. "Flywheel incorporates technology to make it the most effective ride," said Radmin. "You can see your torq and speed so you can set a goal, know how hard you're working, and track your progress from ride to ride," she added, "and you can follow your performance online." In fact, each bike monitors every rider's real-time performance data so that
riders can accurately adjust their speed, resistance, and power. In addition, all FlyWheel studios have a Torqboard that displays riders' performance data. Although optional, bit does seem to add to the competitive nature of FlyWheel that avid riders praise as the best part of this indoor cycling studio. Music also adds to the overall experience at FlyWheel. Radmin said, "Your ride is professionally choreographed so you can ride to the beat of the music while getting a great workout."
Would a SoulCycle addict even try Flywheel, much less become a regular patron? Ophira Cukierman, a spin instructor at Will2Lose and the JCC as well as a devoted SoulCycler and Flywheeler, has had great experiences at both studios and emphasizes the attributes at both that keep her signing up for more. "They're both great, but very different," she said. "SoulCycle is very community oriented, meaning the SoulCycle community, and people love that. Flywheel is more intense ... it's about the competition, and a lot of people love that as well. It will be interesting to see if Flywheel attracts a different crowd," she added. "On the Flywheel bikes," she continued, "there's not a lot of room for cheating. Some people love that, others don't." She thinks Flywheel might make her work harder because she can actually see the work she is doing. For some, that's motivating. 
Others seem to prefer what Cukierman terms "perceived exertion," namely self-adjusting your bike's resistance to what is comfortable for you, the rider, based on the instructors suggestions. Another Scarsdale SoulCycler said, "I love SoulCycle. I've been doing it for 3 years and I love the workout. The combination of a dark room and loud, great music really allows you to be in your own world and push yourself." She did say she would likely test out Flywheel, adding, "I'm curious as to what the scoreboard's all about."
Are there any amenities included with the price of a class at FlyWheel or are there additional charges? The Flywheel Studio has showers and changing areas with full amenities and towels, filtered water, and complimentary cycling shoes. The bikes are well spaced so there's no rubbing elbows with the hairy, sweaty guy to your left (for example).
Flywheel is set to open for previews from January 24 through January 26th. Previews will allow 
interested cyclers to try classes free of charge before committing. Classes will be $28 per class with discounted packages for 5, 10, or 20 packs. A monthly membership will be offered at the rate of $180/month for FlyWheel or FlyBarre, or $280/month for access to both. FlyWheel is located at 828 Scarsdale Avenue in the old Tumblebugs building. There is no word yet on what the exact parking situation will be, but there is a small, free, attached parking lot and ample street parking, both metered and free but time limited.
Flywheel
828 Scarsdale Avenue
Scarsdale, NY 10583
914-368-0024
www.flywheelsports.com
