Seasonal residents deserve thanks for paying more than their share of taxes

Editor:

Everyone likes to complain about taxes. However, complaining about taxes while complaining about seasonal residents (aka cottage owners, “lake people”, 2nd home owners, etc.) in the Town of Yates just doesn’t make sense.

Seasonal home owners are actually subsidizing the taxes permanent residents of the Town of Yates are paying. The seasonal residents’ children, if they have children, don’t attend Lyndonville Schools, yet seasonal residents pay the same school tax rate as permanent residents.

Seasonal home owners are rarely here from September through May, yet they still help cover the cost of having our roads plowed and salted in the winter.

In addition, waterfront property is accessed at a higher value than similar properties not on the lakeshore. This results in seasonal home owners paying more in total school, town and county taxes than people who own similar properties not situated on the lake.

Seasonal residents end up paying more, even though they are using less of the services our taxes provide. As a former resident of the Village of Medina, which has one of the highest tax burdens in the state, I appreciate seasonal home owners for helping to keep my school and property taxes as low as they are.

Jim Bansbach

Former seasonal resident and current permanent resident of the Town of Yates