Over at the Times Union there's an interesting article by Steve Barnes about MASS MoCA and its relationship with North Adams -- the museum is a big (and growing) attraction, but critics argue the tax-exempt institution hasn't done enough to help the wider the city. (Does that storyline that sound familiar?) [TU]
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Comments
(I admit to only having a cursory understanding of how tax-exempt property & institutions effect a city so feel free to correct be on the following)
The comparison to Albany is interesting, but I have to believe Mass MoCA's presence has to do more good than bad for the city of North Adams, while it's harder to say that about the presence of tons of nontaxable state institutions and commuting state workers.
I would think the difference is in the purpose of the 'commute' - if you're going into a city for a museum or concert, you'd be more likely to stay the day for shopping, dinner, drinks, and a hotel room on a longer stay or when you're travelling from further away. All those businesses boost the city's economy. I definitely don't agree that Mass MoCA is a 'gated community' that visitor's don't venture outside... the 2 hour waits at every restaurant in the city before & after Mass MoCA events suggest otherwise.
On the other hand, if you're travelling into a city for your 9-5 job (plus your employer is tax-exempt) what benefit is the city seeing beyond a handful of restaurants opened only at lunch hour?
... said Paul on Jan 20, 2015 at 4:04 PM | link
This discussion about "commuters" and "city folk" is akin to the "upstate/downstate" brawl. It makes no difference for the city if there are people commuting or not. For the most part, those commuters are customers of the city's businesses during the day, as well as at night, mostly due to the choice that Albany has to offer, which the burbs don't. It's a false discussion. The biggest problem in Albany is that it is packed with non-profit freeloaders: State offices, lobbying non-profits, religious organizations, the entire SUNY system and other colleges, hospitals, dozens of associations, unions, etc. The policy of giving tax exemtpions to everyone and their mothers is killing this city and many other communities countrywide. The laws need to change. Everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY, should pay taxes, because everybody uses the infrastructure. A pee in a church or at SUNY ends up in the same sewer system. The fact that we have laws that define winners and losers, or the freeloaders versus taxpaying citizens and entities, is the problem. Incidentally, over time, suburban sprawl ends up being irrelevant, as development and population density make the suburban/urban line indistinguishable, and public transportation across urban and suburban areas virtually eliminates the divide (I've witnessed this in many places around the world, where tewnty to thirty years ago there was a clear divide and now there's none). Tax the freeloaders.
... said JoeA on Jan 21, 2015 at 11:48 AM | link