Cadillac Country

Dear Nieces and Nephews,

Welcome to Orange County’s NEWEST Tourism Destination! Orange County is home to many wonderful tourist destinations including Historic West Point and even the Woodbury Common but now we have A CADILLAC DEALERSHIP! That’s right, pack up the kids and get ready to sit behind the wheel of an antique ELDORADO!!! There will be cookies, cake and ice cream and on Saturdays, Barton Birks plans to soap up a 70’s Seville so the kids can slide down the hood! What fun!!! Thank Goodness that the OC IDA is giving them a tax break! After all, think of the hours of fun they will provide! It’s not like they are making money by selling cars, is it?

Seriously, Tourism destination? Not even the OC IDA mentions car dealerships as tourism destinations on its website: http://www.ocnyida.com/our-region/tourism/

How intriguing that a CAR DEALERSHIP is considered a tourism destination because it is the only Caddy dealer in the County.

However, there are several Cadillac dealers nearby. Are they too, tourism destinations? (Locus: Goshen) BARTON BIRKS CHEVROLET CADILLAC (16 miles); CADILLAC OF MAHWAH (23 miles); GRAND PRIZE CHEVROLET CADILLAC Nanuet (26 miles); HUDSON CADILLAC BUICK Poughkeepsie (27 miles) 

Maybe there is a unique feature to this particular dealership that would encourage the financially well-off people from outside the county to visit; as evidenced by this review: http://www.cars.com/dealers/167052/barton-birks-chevrolet-cadillac/reviews/

Featured Review 5.0 out of 5.0 Dedicated, skilled, and accommodating team!

by Nan from Mount Kisco, NY | February 12, 2015

I had a very annoying problem with the electronics that eventually became an obstacle to operating the car, and the folks at Barton Birks kept working at a solution until they achieved a complete solution. They could not have been more accommodating and dedicated!

Barton Birks Chevrolet Cadillac responded to this review February 13, 2015

Thank you for taking the time to write this review, Nan! We are dedicated to our customers and it is important we do everything in our power to ensure they drive away happy customers! We appreciate our staff and we are thrilled that they have taken care of you and accommodated your needs. We will make sure they hear of your kind words. All of us at Barton Birks Chevrolet Cadillac await your return. Please let us know how we may be able to help next! Best regards, Shane Garzione, Asst. Service Manager, sgarzione@bartonbirks.com 

We wonder if “Nan from Mt. Kisco” has her eye on a new SRX.

But, wait! There’s more (and yes, the Sarcasm Meter is on high today)

From the THRecord on Wednesday: http://www.recordonline.com/article/20150311/NEWS/150319814/101010/

Petro said he “misspoke” at an IDA public hearing on Feb. 19 when he said Neuhaus had already signed off on tax incentives for Barton Birks' proposed new Cadillac store. The IDA board also voted on the resolution although an underlying document – Neuhaus’ written approval – called Exhibit C in the resolution, never existed.

Petro? Jim Petro or James R. Petro Jr, the Planning consultant, Property manager for the Town of New Windsor, former Planning Board Chair in New Windsor; the current Executive Director of the County IDA, former Chair of the IDA board;  Jim “What’s wrong with you people” Petro, former appointed legislator who could not get re-elected? That Jim Petro? What possible conflicts of interest could he have?

THR again: Petro confirmed to a reporter Wednesday that he has purchased cars at Barton Birks and was aware the dealership gave $750 in 2011 to his unsuccessful campaign for the Orange County Legislature.

From Time Warner Cable news: http://www.twcnews.com/nys/hudson-valley/news/2015/03/10/county-exec-opposes-tax-break-for-car-dealership.html  

Despite opposition by the Newburgh town board, the industrial development agency voted on Monday to approve a package of tax incentives sought by the car dealership. What it would do is allow Barton Birks Chevrolet Cadillac to not have to pay property taxes for its first year, and then to phase taxes in over the course of a decade. This would save the business $1.5 million.

IDA’s executive director Jim Petro said the struggling city needs this project, and that and that worrying about precedent won’t help the area’s struggling economy.

Jumping Jim does concern us with his summary dismissal of setting precedence. (Usually, people who do not worry about setting legal precedence are those with no respect or understanding of the law.)

Ronald Barton SAID: “When you look at luxury stores (referring to luxury automotive dealerships) how many do you see in Newburgh NY?”

Maybe there is a reason for that. If the area is struggling so much, then who can afford to buy a Cadillac? 

What’s next? A  Tax Break for Tiffany’s? 

And here is the BIGGEST ISSUE  regarding this tax break. Traditionally, tax incentives are used to ATTRACT businesses to the area. Barton Birks has been in Orange County for OVER 30 YEARS!

Better Soap up that Seville!