Jan 22, 2008
Town of Brookaven
RE: GHFD Tax Issue

Dear Supervisor Foley and Board Members,
 Happy New Year to all of you.

My name is Rosalie Hanson and I am here in reference to the

Gordon Heights Fire district tax issue.

 I am submitting these books for all the board members to
review so that they can better understand
 the problem facing the residents in the Gordon Heights Fire
District. This is a copy of the same book which have already
been presented to Connie Kepert and Supervisor Foley approx. 3
weeks ago.

2.I have been granted permission to read this letter and enter it into public records.  It was written by a resident living in the new condos on Granny Road.  This letter was recently submitted to Suffolk Life in response to their recent article

Residents Decry Taxes in the GH Fire District.

 Read letter.
 
3. I am also submitting as public records, a copy of the
original petition signed by residents who
did not want to become a part of this district back in 1951.
 By the way, the original name proposed for this district
was West Middle Island Fire district. Not Gordon Heights Fire district.

 This document proves that not every one wanted to establish
this fire district.  Today, even though there are some residents who want the the GH Fire district to remain, the majority of the residents are in favor of dissolving it. (and the Majority rules).

 4. I also have another document from 1952 which was presented
to the Town of Brookhaven asking that their petition to form
the GH fire district be approved. And I quote.

"We pray" that the Town of Brookhaven establish a fire district

 
Today the residents also “pray”, this time we wish to have the
GHFD dissolved . The Faith of the people in Gordon Heights has never waivered. It has remained the one constant factor and this is the true identity of the community - our faith and not the
fire district.
 
5. Lastly, and I appreciate your patience, before we circulate
another petition, we will wait for the auditors report and to see if the State can examine our problem and make a determination in this matter. We believe, that with joint effort between the town, county, state and the community, that there is a reasonable solution to this 21 yr problem.

 If not, then what does that say about our government?

North Shore Sun, April 11, 2008.  Page 9

My name is Rosalie Hanson and I am here tonight in reference to the Gordon Heights Fire District high fire tax issue.  As you know, we pay the highest fire tax on Long Island, if not the entire state of New York.

We have a fire tax rate that is off the chart. According to the New York State Comptroller's 2007 Audit Report findings, our high fire tax rate cannot be lowered because we do not have the tax base to support our own fire district.  In order for my district to have a fire tax rate that is comparable to the rest of Long Isand, over million dollars needs to be shaved from the 1.4 million dollar budget.  This, of course, in an impossiblity, as almost $500,000 of the  1.4 million dollar budget is just in  salaries and benefits alone.

The Gordon Heights Fire District was established by the Town of Brookhaven with the stipulation that it would not be an undue burden to the residents.  Yet, the residents continue to be  taxed to death not only for necessities but also for such luxuries as the proposed McDonald's style soda machine.  The insensitive spending practices by the Gordon Heights Fire District commissioners, at a time when many people are losing their homes,  is an indication that they do not have the best interest of the residents in this community at heart.

A recent letter was sent to Senator LaValle from a Gordon Heights Fire District Resident living on Park Lane explaining that he is living on a fixed income and is forced to cut his medication in half to make them last until the end of the month.  The $ 1000.00 more he is paying every year for his fire taxes would go a long way to help pay for his medicine.

Those of you who do not face such hardships, need to take a closer look as to how my neighbors are living.  We are not talking theory here.  We are in the trenches of the lives of real people who are financially hurting due to this unnecessary fire tax burden.

The New York State Commission on Government Competitive and Efficiency has offered to help the town of Brookhaven study our problem. .

In my 25 yrs of working in the business world, I have found that there is no problem that cannot be solved when people are willing to cooperate.

  Therefore, Supervisor Foley, we the taxpayers in the Gordon Heights Fire District would like to request that you contact the State on our behalf to help study and solve our problem.

Dear Mr. Lavalle,

 

  As a resident of the Gordon Heights Fire District who is heavily burdened by the excessively high district fire tax structure, I am appealing to you along with the other elected officials to vote for the approval of the pending vote ' PART U of s.9806 article 17a of the General Municipal Law.

  A petition had been circulated over the last two years and was signed by more than 80% of the Gordon Heights homeowners to dissolve the  GHFD and to have it merge with the existing fire districts that surround us. We are the highest taxed in the state with the smallest population and it is a burden that puts all of us in this community at risk of losing our homes , in some cases. I am retired and on a fixed income. I often have to cut back on my medications by taking a half a dose so that my medications last through the month. This is only one of the cut backs that I am forced into due to my fire district taxes. It is very unfair to all of us in this community and we deserve to have our voices heard loud and clear. Change the law that is crippling us and pass one that will listen to the voices of the majority  of the homeowners in the community that will give us the relief that we are seeking.

  Thank you for taking the time to read and understand our positions in this matter.

                                                                                                             Sincerely,

                                                                                                             JAMES L. MINER

TOB  5/6/08.

Good evening, my name is Rosalie Hanson, and I am a resident taxpayer in the Gordon 

Heights Fire District.

The GHFD commissioners are making arrangements to have a cell tower installed 

on the GHFD property off Rose Lane.  According to the commissioners, the cell tower 

could generate up to $ 6,000 a month in revenue for them.  Even if they deducted this 

income off their budget, it would only net the residents a savings of a few dollars off their 

current tax rate.  The savings off our tax bill is just a  handful of dollars that doesn’t even 

add up to half a tank of gas per resident.   This is not a real solution to our problem.

I feel that it is irresponsible on the part of the commissioners to sign onto any long term 

commitments until a viable solution is found to alleviate our high fire taxes.

As a real estate professional, I am also concerned with how a cell tower in a residential 

area will effect property values.   Is there any impact study done on this?. 

 The nearest backyard is only a mere 58 ft away from the proposed site, therefore, we

are very concerned if there are any medical problems which the residents may be facing 

because of a cell tower. Is there any proof that cell towers don’t cause cancer?

We have enough problems because of the gordon heights fire district, we don’t need

any added burdens.

  

I recently heard one of the commissioners remark that all I do is go around quoting 

“fancy numbers”.  Like this is some kind of game we are playing.   I am here 

to tell you that there is nothing “fancy” about residents paying over $ 2000.00 just

for fire taxes.  We all know that The housing market is down but 

We have  90 homes up-for-sale and 7 boarded up homes  all within 1.7 sq mile, and  all 

within the GHFD.  I don’t think that you can show me any other area in the Town of 

Brookhaven that has 90 homes for sale in a 1.7 mile radius.  (show map).

With so many homes for sale, I am sure more of these homes will be converted to group 

homes or state run homes and these houses will be removed from the tax rolls.  The 

fire taxes will even become higher as the tax base erodes

One Boarded up home is one too many, Seven is an indication of a dying 

community.  The GHFD that was  created to enhance the community is now in fact 

the demise of it. 

As quoted from a recent article in Newsday, Kirby Hannan, spokesman for the state 

firemen’s association, argued for a more tailored solution to the Gordon heights budget 

problems.

From the governor on down everyone is waiting for you to weigh in on this problem.

Supervisor Foley, won’t you please write the letter to the State inviting them in and 

help the few remaining homeowners in the Gordon Heights fire district continue to live 

the american dream?

Thank You,

Rosalie Hanson

2 Caroline St

Medford, NY  11763

631-377-0524