Woodbury Traffic, Property Taxes and Progressive Ideals: Cuomo's MidHudson State of the State

HARRISON, NY — A project to fix the traffic nightmare around Woodbury Commons; a fund to protect drinking water from problem's like Newburgh's; a recreational trail joining the Hudson Valley Greenway to paths all over the state; and a plan to reduce local property taxes through ballot referendum were among the proposals floated by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who is traversing New York delivering State of the State speeches, in the Mid-Hudson Valley version at Purchase College on Tuesday.

In the process he delivered a warning to the thousands of taxing entities in the lower Hudson Valley (425 in Westchester County alone) that finding ways to share services and relieve local property taxpayers has to be a priority.

Attending were mayors of several of the region's cities including Yonkers, White Plains, New Rochelle, Kingston and Poughkeepsie. Franklyn Richardson, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, offered an introductory blessing.

Creating a Transit and Economic Development Hub in Woodbury was top on the governor's list.

“Woodbury Common plays a critical role in the economic vitality of the region, but traffic congestion and aging infrastructure restricts further potential for growth in the surrounding community," Cuomo said. "This project will provide a streamlined, state-of-the-art transportation network to free up congestion, improve the quality of life for residents, and create more opportunities for economic growth in Woodbury and in the entire Mid-Hudson Valley."

The Woodbury Common Premium Outlet malls are a regional economic engine, but local residents, commuters, and shoppers all are negatively affected by severe traffic congestion on State Route 32 at the Route 17 interchange, which serves more than 70,000 vehicles daily, higher during peak shopping seasons.

The project will expand the Route 32 corridor, replace the Route 32 bridge over Route 17, reconfigure the ramp leading to the New York State Thruway, and add a solar-powered bus station and a commuter parking lot and an interconnected traffic system to improve access and allow for increased commercial activity.

Infrastructure projects help the economy and move New York forward, he said, citing the replacement for the deteriorating Tappan Zee Bridge which he said has "traumatized generations", and work on LaGuardia Airport ("embarrassing") and Penn Station ("disgusting").

The recreational trail would run New York City to the north country and Albany to Buffalo he said, arguing that it would bring tourists and contribute to local economies. He cited the Walkway Over the Hudson, which has amazed the scoffers as it draws record numbers of users.

He called for a $2 billion fund to rebuild the state's drinking water infrastructure and protect drinking water at its source.

Also, he proposed an initiative to require each county outside of New York City to prepare a plan for shared, coordinated and efficient services among the units of local governments contained within the county.

But the plan would exclude school districts, which collect most of the property taxes.

The property tax is the largest tax burden to the New York taxpayer, he said, with the typical taxpayer paying 2.5 times more in property taxes than in income taxes. Westchester and Rockland rank among the five highest counties in the nation for the cost of property taxes, he said.

Draft plans would have to be submitted to the county legislative body by Aug. 1, 2017. The county legislative body would have 45 days to review it. The voters of the county would then vote on the plan in the general election of November 2017, and if voters reject it, the county would have to come up with another proposal for 2018.

"The entire political class is going to oppose this," he predicted.

He ended his speech in Harrison celebrating New York's origins as a state of immigrants and its current diversity and support for civil rights. He described it as a national leader, citing specifically the state's groundbreaking move to raise the minimum wage and his proposal to make college free for children of middle- and working-class families.

"We are a progressive people. We have withstood stormy times many times before. We are the home of the Statue of Liberty," he said. "At this time of anger in this nation, of fear in this nation...Let New York say, that’s not who we are, we will not go there."

Images via Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office