Letter To The Editor – You Are Not Speaking For Me

To The Editor:
In regards to the Hoosick Falls Armory issue that has become a point of contention in our community. The simple fact is that communities and cities everywhere are scaling back services as well as spending. Areas of Detroit, Michigan, have essentially been abandoned because the city can no longer afford to provide services such as water or care of roads because of a lack of revenue. Is Hoosick Falls any different? Does anyone in Hoosick Falls who is in support of saving the Armory at any cost realize that our financial problems in the country have arisen from excessive spending with no additional revenues to replenish spending? How much would the refurbishment of the Armory cost? Some real figures please? I am a working taxpayer of the Town of Hoosick. I own a house and am not a subsidized resident. My combined taxes for school and Town now stand at a rate of $5,000 a year. This my wife and I do on a combined income of $58,000 a year. This doesn’t go very far for a family of five.
I hope those who are speaking to keep the Armory at any cost realize they are not speaking tor me. I do not want my taxes raised to pay for this. I do not, as a Town resident, want or need the Armory. It serves me no purpose. If those who want to keep it believe that much in it, do what other communities have done. Create a committee to figure out how to buy, refurbish as well as bring in revenue from your purchase. I don’t have any room for additional expenditures in my family budget. To the people who want to keep it at any cost, do you have any additional monies in your family budget?
People in Hoosick Falls need to read up a little on the financial issues that are pervasive in the country as a whole. Construction costs, very simply, money. Why are communities larger than Hoosick Falls putting construction projects on hold? It is because they do not have the additional money to repair or rebuild things like infrastructure let alone historical structures. Take a ride out of Hoosick Falls. Look at the condition of roads and bridges. Does it look like anyone has any money to spare?
In real financial terms, as community of both the Village and Town, let’s look at our debt to income ratio. Can people in the community support this project financially? Not everyone can make it to the meetings to voice their opinion on this when the meetings are held. Some of us have work as well as family obligations that have to be met. Does the community comprised of a total of 7,700 citizens want to pay more in their taxes to support this?
We have not all spoken in favor of this project. Has there been a Town and Village-wide poll to ask of us our opinion? To those of you who said, “It isn’t always about money,” newsflash. Yes it is, I need and want my hard earned money. I have a family to feed and support. They come first to me. Not the Armory. Beyond that I would rather use any additional money I have to take care of my own house and property.
In closing, any financial expert can tell you that you should not be spending more than you take in as revenue – which we will be doing undertaking the Armory project. The taxpayer isn’t a never-ending source of revenue. At some point we will fight to keep what is our money. Remember the Boston Tea party?
Jeremy D. Gaillard
Bovie Hill Road, Hoosick