it appears that hobart is happy to send a check for $170,000 to the city rather then sending a yearly $1 million check

are they spending $50+ million for the new performance center?

how many millions have they spent to buy properties and take them off the tax rolls?

does the $170,000 check even cover the costs for police to repond to HWS situtations during the year?







does canandaigua have 55% on snap / medicaid?

And yet Hobart contributes $244 million to the local economy. Don't blame Hobart for mismanagement in City government. Maybe if the City got it's act together more of the Profs would live in Geneva and even more money would flow in.

does HWS have 200+ acres off the tax rolls?

do you have a break down of where in geneva that money went?

and yet HWS was willing to take the city of geneva to court over the benefits assessment district where HWS/non-profits would have to pay $1 million per year

why would HWS 'contribute' $244 million but fight the city over a much smaller amount of $1 million?

1 / 244 = 0.004

if that were true the streets would be paved in gold, there would be no city taxes and all the city children would be feed

Good point, bluezone! That's a heck of a lot of money.

Where does that $244 million "contribution" figure come from? Someone's imagination or is there a paper trail to back it up?

It is written in the New York State Constitution that as a nonprofit institutions, the colleges, hospital, experiment station, churches and city school district, among others, do not have to pay real property taxes.

It would be completely irrational for the HWS or hospital boards to vote in favor of voluntarily paying property taxes over funding capital improvements.

Register your complaints with Nozzolio and Kolb if you think it's unjust.

Study pegs HWS economic impact at $244M


Posted: Sunday, February 15, 2015 2:00 pm
By JIM MILLER jmiller@fltimes.com | 0 comments

GENEVA — Hobart and William Smith Colleges’ economic impact topped $244 million in 2013, a study by the Center for Governmental Research found.
CGR reviewed the impact of independent colleges and universities statewide. Hobart and William Smith touted the results last week as it presented a $169,793 check to the city, part of a 10-year, $1.7 million commitment to help Geneva keep its budget balanced.

“From my point of view, we’re all in this together,” HWS President Mark Gearan said. “Geneva is a great place to live, a great place to work, and it’s a great place for our students to study and learn.”
The CGR study included the Colleges’ spending on labor and construction in its impact figure, along with spending by students and visitors. The latter totaled $21.6 million in 2013.
Meanwhile, the Colleges themselves spent more than $101 million and directly employed 730 people.
“I think it evidences that Hobart and William Smith comes in partnership with the community,” Gearan said. “We are advantaged, certainly, by the opportunities that the city provides us. I’d like to think that people could see in this the significant impacts of Hobart and William Smith. This one is economic — $244 million — and that does not count the number of personnel that volunteer in community services, our partnership, Geneva 2020, which we’re leading with the school system, and hopefully the engagement that all community members have.”
The Colleges have been criticized because of the more than $100 million worth of tax-exempt property they own. However, city officials say their positive impact is pronounced.
“The funds provided by HWS under our agreement represent only a fraction of the total contribution of the Colleges today, and of the commitment they continue to make in fostering economic development and growth in Geneva,” City Manager Matt Horn said in a press release. “The Colleges’ financial impact has been well-documented, and it can be felt in nearly every economic and social aspect of the Geneva community. We are proud to host Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and look forward to many more years of continued partnership.”
The Colleges moved their Office of Advancement downtown in 2012, creating the largest influx of employees in recent history. The Colleges also have moved their communications office to 20 Seneca St. and plan to move some information technology staff downtown too.
Because the Colleges lease space downtown, the property remains on the tax roll.
“Hobart and William Smith have been a great partner for the city of Geneva in many different ways,” John Hicks, director of the Business Improvement District, said in a press release. “For both the city and BID, the Colleges have been great in sharing time and service, collaborating on internships and offering expertise on projects in the community. Local spending by the Colleges, students and employees also has a considerable impact, while the campus infrastructure, including athletic venues and the success of the teams, has drawn people to the city and HWS.”
The Colleges have done their own studies of their economic impact in the past. Gearan sees the CGR report as third-party, independent verification of that work.
“We are proud of our partnership and certainly grateful to Geneva,” he said. “It’s been a wonderful host to the Colleges for nearly two centuries.”

He can say that again! Although one of the wealthiest individuals living in the city, and residing in what can fairly be called a mansion, Mr. Gearan has never paid so much as a dime in property taxes. Funny how neither he nor HWS ever mention that when patting themselves on the back about "economic impact."

BTW, how's that federal investigation into HWS' inability to properly handle on-campus sexual assaults coming along?

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/al...-sexual-assault

DO you know that property taxes are not paid on that house? Good question for the city. I would guess that the house is part of his salary and would be taxed as it is used for personal use. Or at least a part of it.

BTW this is why all jurisdiction should go to a flat income tax and do away with property taxes. Will not happen because liberals don't want to give up all their tax breaks.

Indeed I do know, and the information is readily available to the public. You can confirm it yourself by visiting the Ontario County Online Resources site (http://oncor.co.ontario.ny.us/oncor/). The site loads very slowly, but if you use the "Search Map" feature you can fairly easily zoom into Geneva to visualize the property upon which sits the mansion (parcel 104.19-2-1.100, also termed "Pulteney/Main/ St. Clair"). After selecting that property, clicking on "Estimated Taxes" at the top of the page reveals that no taxes of any type are paid on that property. Further digging reveals for previous years that taxes have never been paid.

It doesn't matter that Mr. Gearan uses the mansion for personal or partially personal use: he pays no local taxes for his residence, and he never has. Mr. Gearan, the city, and HWS all believe that is perfectly fair. As a person required to pay substantial county/school/city taxes on my property, I believe otherwise.

So the $244 million "contribution" isn't really a cash payment (like my property taxes) or even something that HWS actually paid to the city. It's a lot of estimates of what students and visitors spend, lumps in the labor costs of improvements to the college, salaries of people employed at the college, etc. By that measure, I should get credit for the home improvements I've made and cost of remodeling, payments to the guy that mows my lawn and clears the snow from my driveway and sidewalk, the $10,000 or so that I spend annually in local stores, gasoline, restaurants, etc. But I don't -- I still have to shell out money for property taxes and school taxes, not to mention exorbitant rates for water. So while HWS officials can smugly pat themselves on the back for the chump change $169,793 presented to the city, I'd like to see some REAL payments in lieu of taxes, somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 million a year if they really want to help the city balance its budget.

Exactly, this was the major reason I sold all my property in Geneva, absorbent property taxes.

So well put, LK, I couldn't agree more. It's a Hobart Big Steal and it's all done with a smiley face and sincere assurances that it is the best of all possible worlds for the peasants of Geneva. Reminds me of Downton Abbey.

Then the city is missing out. a private individual is using that house, property taxes as such should be paid. Even cassella pays property taxes to the local school district, in the form of an agreed to payment. Because it is a private company using public property.

Hobart should do no less. But if the city does not go after that, well----

Go to a flat income tax and problem is solved. Well as long as the city is not a sh-t hole that the employees of Hobart don't want to live in.

care to explain College of the Senecas?