Thoughts...continued

[SuperShafts]

I believe I read somewhere, (Long Island Business website perhaps) the track only pays $35K in taxes a year.

This is not a great deal of money at all when you really think about it. So, the truth about the towns motive is money. If the track was something else, the tax on that land would go way up, so the town makes more money.

All of the complaints about noise and all the hassles the town makes for the track about building or improving the facility are really just a smoke screen for trying free the land so it can generate more tax income for the town.

Any plan to modernize the facility would have to include paying this "ransom" to the town. I would guess that would include a drag strip.

It's a shame you just can't go to the town and ask what is the tax number you need to leave us alone and let us build and improve as we see fit. But then that would be too transparent for modern politics.

Why does it have to be that way...

Why ask the town for some payout/ransom?

When did everyone running for office forget they work for the people...

What would make them think that a dealership or store of any type would bring more revenue?

Lets see.....a dealership or store or restaurant will bring a property tax, and a sales tax which a percentage will go to the county and town

Entertainment venues like race tracks of any type pay property tax, sales tax, and a hefty 10% entertainment tax on top....

How could anything do better for the area than anything entertainment oriented...

Motorsports and Automotive bring all kinds of other side benefits, donations, advertizing, r&d.

The people need to bring the elected officials back to their place and role in government, they all seem to have forgotten their job. It's not we listen half heartedly to some and then speak amongst ourselves and do what we want....it's you listen to the people and do what that majority wants.

Now in the last 6 years I have found people want particular things and are lazy and don't speak up, nor vote, but wait for someone else to do it for them, and that is how the people elected have all this power to do as they please..

People, you need to speak up, you need to speak amongst yourselves, you need to remove those from their chair and toss them and do it again next term for no other reason than just because, the people running for office need to be reminded that what they are running for is an office where they are following a oath to do the best job they can, of the people, by the people, for the people...

After speaking with quite a few elected officials on certain issues, I wanted to choke ALL the people that voted for those individuals and shake them and ask them what the heck are/were you thinking when you voted that person in....a few times no less.

[RGeeProductions]

Well from all the posts I have read here, seems YOU should buy the track and YOU should run for office in Riverhead!!!
Last I knew, the BOARD runs the show and not just a supervisor and in most elections it's only 2 people running for a seat. Republican & Democrat, so not much choice is it?
Also, what people say during campaigning vs what they can really do in office ALWAYS changes once in office, either due to political power overcoming them or just plain bureaucracy and ties their hands.
Making ones voice heard to the board through emails, hand written letters or phone calls flooding them is a reasonable answer to make the publics voice heard. In this town, writing a letter to the local News Review paper is also an outlet as MANY town people read this newspaper.
Yeah, I know a very lengthy answer is coming.......and it's Bellport not Riverhead, right????

[SuperShafts]

The board votes together, but it doesn't seem like they all represent the people..

Example if you are holding that office and you have letters and e-mails of support why is time still wasted playing games with other non interests.

They vote according to what you express, or are supposed to...

I haven't seen that..

Have you seen that?

When is the last time, other then when they want IN office, have you seen them on the street to hear your complaints or needs?

Unfortunately as for me, running for office, I was going to, but the expense is out of control, and I am not about to start charging anyone to raise money to run for office with stupid dinners, and breakfast, and lunch fund raisers...
I'M sorry, I am not that person, I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing people had to spend thousands to sit and eat with me or be at some other event so I could get money to get into office, or lose their money by not getting into office, and I would flip out if anyone of them thought they could use that for any type of favor....so by not doing it, none of those is a issue.
I would rather just try and have my name on the ballot and see what happens, which is what I should have done. rather than just look and see how much most of it cost and scrap it.
There are a ton of problems and nothing gets done, and nothing should take as long as it does.

[RGeeProductions]

The 5 individuals on the board are to represent the people but kinda tough as 5 people representing 10,000 + people. Would never be accurate representation anyway. Example: 100 people write or speak about approving EPCAL for entertainment complex, which includes motorsports, and 200 Glenwood residents saying NO-WAY. Well the board member, if listening to the people, takes Glenwoods side, as it's 200 to 100 against. Unfair, but they are representing the people, correct? OR, do they go with what THEY feel is right for the town themselves?

I have seen them and most are accessible. Whether they truly HEAR what you say is another story, and I am sure they get what THEY feel is right, no matter what the public thinks, as they base their own opinions.

As for running for office, don't think you could as your profile says Bellport and think you have to be a Riverhead resident to run here for office.

Most here voice what they think is going on or what can fix things. Easy to say, but very hard to put into place. There are many underlying things stopping things from happening sometimes. Laws, county stepping in, DEC, master plan, etc, etc. To me, EPCAL should have been taken care of YEARS ago and it is still in limbo. I still feel an indoor snow mountain is a friggin' joke!!! I still feel the media is against motorsports park when the headline last week was noted as "RACETRACK", not an entertainment complex. There are so many variables overlooked or unknown to commoners like us. I know this as my uncle was on the police for over 30+ years and was chief of police, my father was councilman for 10 years, and my other uncle ran the Recreation Department. Point, I have seen much inside things and why they happened or didn't. Like Jamesport at the Sound beach. It was thrown out that the town was going to have a marina there in the pond/lake. It didn't go through. At that time it would have been easy as there were little DEC restrictions. Right now, the town would be making great income if it was done at that time with minimal cost. My point, the town has grown greatly since then, which justs adds to the issues at hand, and I agree that the board members haven't listened, so it seems, to us, but the above other entities we don't see also play a part.

Richie Grodski
51 years in Riverhead and love it here

[SuperShafts]

I don't live in Riverhead though....

Example of people in office that shouldn't be in office..

Forget that I support any motorsports facility...

Example > Yaphank

Levy holds the card to play with what to use on the property to bring to the table...

They figure affordable housing..ok

They know the land is contaminated.... and I know it and have everything that is there and the size and how much area.

That area is deemed heavy industrial use.

The area is surrounded by heavy industrial and other not so liveable things....

Them showing a push and having meeting after meeting to try and shove that area for use, even after people continually say it's not good....

The 2 mental patients that still haven't even lied to me, and told me yes, I would let my children live there, and then the Brookhaven Supervisor Foley saying sure, I'll rezone it....

All I see is they all have to go. Bottom line, they aren't thinking of anyone's behalf, they're just looking to make themselves look better in the eyes of bigger government with, "Look what I created for people in my area"..not that it's on contaminated property, not that it's in the middle of a industrial area...
Just I created XXX number of houses for people that couldn't afford it

Can you honestly sit there and think these people should be running anything...or in charge of anything? If I were Levy, they would have been fired for even contemplating that area as a suitable area for anyone to live...the minute they put that down on my desk, they would have been fired...
And this is what I would have told them...."So it's rough for some people to afford a house, and you 2 clowns figure ok, we'll put them people here in the middle of this area of crap to live, probably figuring they'll be happy with anything other than the nothing they have now."...you 2 clowns can clean out your desk.....

But now look at this, Levy didn't do that, instead he went with it and so is Foley....that's 4 people that need to go.

Not to mention all the other problems that will be created if that happens in that area.

[RGeeProductions]

Funny thing, look around the Island. A LOT of new houses and housing is going up EVERYWHERE. I am not talking affordable either. Funny how people can't afford to live here but these are being built and BOUGHT!!! My original post here was on Riverhead not Suffolk County, which is a whole different ball game.
Just one question though, if Levy wasn't there and someone else won, do you REALLY think things would be that much different?
My opinion, NO they wouldn't.
On that note, I have voiced my opinions above and have to go to work as ALL do to live on Long Island!!!!

[SuperShafts]

To me, EPCAL should have been taken care of YEARS ago and still in limbo. I still feel an indoor snow mountain is a friggin' joke!!! I still feel the media is against motorsports park when the headline last week was noted as "RACETRACK" not an entertainment complex.


My point, the town has grown greatly since then which justs adds to the issues at hand and I agree that the board members haven't listened, so it seems, to us, but the above other entities we don't see also play a part.



Yeah the media has a problem with motorsports I haven't a clue as to why.
Even the 2 interviews I had they chopped it up so bad they only kept the easy issue to answer in them, not one of the more important or better parts did they keep in there...God forbid one of our elected officials everyone see's as GREAT would have been shut down or had a bad answer...don't leave that in...that's some investigative reporting....I would have fired them for not keeping the good points in. What kind of reporter does that....?
Yes, and lots of towns have problems, and they do not do anything...for example the mosquito condition...I have said for years cut the reed grass, what are you saving or preserving that mosquito breeding ground for, it makes it so the sun doesn't dry anything and they breed 50 fold...

Nope, they do nothing, or come up with all kinds of bs as to what it doesn't do, not a thing it does do...
Now they don't want to use a specific spray due to the fact it might harm lobsters....lobsters! ! ! ! When is the last time you caught a lobster from the beach....and since when does a lobster take precedence over someone's child getting West Nile or any human...and I wouldn't eat a lobster out of the South or North, just like I don't drink the water..

But the things that can effect your everyday life in a positive way are always stalled or nothing is done at all.

[SuperShafts]

Funny thing, look around the Island. A LOT of new houses and housing is going up EVERYWHERE. I am not talking affordable either. Funny how people can't afford to live here but these are being built and BOUGHT!!!


Just one question though, if Levy wasn't there and someone else won, do you REALLY think things would be that much different?
My opinion, NO they wouldn't.
On that note, I have voiced my opinions above and have to go to work as ALL do to live on Long Island!!!!


Yes, I see the same thing everywhere as per housing...

So then are you saying that everyone that would run or is in office is mentally challenged and not near intelligent enough to see anything...
That definitely holds true right now.

If the next mental patient got in office, and did the same thing, and not put a stop to it, then yes, my theory of the Island as mentally challenged is correct, and the people that can think and see clearly are few and far between.

[RGeeProductions]

Cause: Cell phone micro waves, political bs, prozac and vicodans are the cause..... LOL
Throw in some booze too I guess.......

[SuperShafts]

Lol I'll take those also.
You know though, seriously now, doctors love to just throw kids on drugs. I went to 2 doctors and they were like he needs to be on some medication...he's a.d.d. I was like what...doc are you insane if that boy was a.d.d., how does he spend hours drawing some of the most detailed stuff I have ever seen...I said if he was a.d.d., you would be lucky if you got a stick figure out of him.... Since then I have lost all hope in doctors and like I thought it was just a young kid and energy...but no one listened to me. But thank God I did, or God knows what might have happened. I would have listened to some mental patient doctor..

The best was the 1st doc...he had this room of awesome toys and he said see how he goes to each one....

I said, "Doc, if I was in there and I know I'm not staying here all day, I would be doing the same thing. C'mon, look at those toys, where did you get some of them?"

[art11758]

Just a little something. In one of the letters I wrote, I presented an idea that I guess was too simplistic. Tax foreclosures. To the best of my knowledge, there are still tax foreclosures in Suffolk. My thought was instead of auctioning them off, rehab them with all of that "habitat for humanity" labor they always seem to find,(or better yet "We have some community service for you, Mr White Collar criminal") and use the state and federal affordable mortgages and other grants to help those just starting out. That's who the Yaphank deal is supposed to be helping. This way they will be spread out. Y'know, in single family houses. Not condo things with a stipulation of whether or not you can have children. In a variety of towns where you have choices.

I dunno. The whole aspect of living here is very frustrating at times. I haven't given up though.

[SuperShafts]

I have approached our wonderful govt with that same idea, along with other ideas to make things better that will have an impact on everyones day to day life...
Such as the loss of homes to taxes like you brought up, but not auction it off to someone else or use it as a affordable home...but apparently the person living there already has a problem already... so cast them to the street and put in someone else...even though the 1st person there is indeed a person that would be eligeable for affordable housing if there not paying taxes for that reason...

So i brought up that those people be investigated, as per income and actual resonable amount of taxes they should be paying...not evict and auction.....yet mr.levy the oh so passionate to those in distress did nothing along those lines.
That person...most seniors..that paid for the house and then have a problem or two, and cast them to the street...

I brought up to use smaller parcels of property they have all over and use those with 5 to 10 homes on it, and across the county they would have there 2000 homes they are looking for....
But the truth is some homes aren't really that out of touch just people are lazy....kids/young adults today want it with 1 job yet while they have all there toy's....it's called sacrafice for some, and most don't want to sacrafice to get it...so affordable housing is a issue i don't agree with, and one that i feel is a discriminatory and i feel is the not the job of the govt to be involved with...there is a huge tax problem here and not 1 damn one of them ever takes it on.....and yet people are all fine with this, everytime they open there mouth about something people should be freaking out on them why they have the audacity to spend time on anything at all till they fix this 1st

I brought up removing/reducing the property tax burden from the home owner and go to payroll....oh god the bs exuses i had to hear for that...that was the reason i wanted the county ex seat...
I brought up how the schools increases are out of control, and no one see's it till after a few million is missing....i brought up how do you steal a few million from a school district that every year needs another umpteen million to just get by according to them.....
The bs with the forge river....every year they waste thousands with yet another stupid study....here's the study... buy a compressor get lots of air line aerate the river or bottom line fill it in...a river that doesn't run is a non aerated river....what mental patient doesn't know this....but damn what do we need another 10 years of wasting time and money...and then you have some stupid forge river foundation making money off this....PEOPLE WAKE UP
The mosquito problems and the need to keep reed grass for what...
There isn't 1 good reason......
The mental patients that blocked the bridge crossing years ago because of salamanders....
What practical thing does a salamander do for you...
Well if you were so worried about the salamander then go and retrieve them, build the bridge and then put the dopey things back...this is the lack of mental ability that surrounds us..
The problems with wind power, the problems with a barge off shore....
Everything is no, no , no but then no one wants to pay the ever increasing prices...there is no problem just put them there already...
The break water rocks i have been explaining to put in....i said what if we get hit with 3 hurricanes...
I said you people aren't smart enough to realize we got lucky with gloria...
In fact how many people here realize how lucky we were...if gloria hit at high tide...there would still be effects of it today..
But nope no break water rocks...they'll just keep playing the same old hurricane/nor easter/storm washes it away....they'll dredge and put it back at an increased cost every year.....but what about the year you get multiple storms..doh!! oops that idea just never occurred to them....
This is the kind of real thinkers you have working for you....

Empty headed dimwits, just like the car in front of you and there on the cell and all mental ability to perform driving went right out the window

Dick amper the wanna be supposed guardian of long island and everything good....riiiiight!...well dick get your shovel boy, those canary islands are going to devastate everything on this island you think you are preserving...so stop bs'ing people and go dig that mountain away before it washes away most of long island......if you really care about a furture here....or do you...just another making money off of 10% truths and mostly lies.


I haven't give up....but im ready to try anything....whether it be peaceably or not....but you know what, no one else is...

[art11758]

Y'now, I never thought about the fact that a tax foreclosure would be on seniors or someone else with troubles. I figured it would be someone like me, who pays his taxes directly. (instead of the mortgage company)
I too find the idea of "subsidizing/affordable housing" not really being the gov'ts job per se. At least not more than they already do. I bought my first house with a SONYMA, so I have a feel for what's reasonable. I too listened at the Bellport HS to "local employers" and their troubles attracting new hires and housing prices. And without local businesses, the tax burden goes up. I see the correllation, but don't agree with the current solution.
The idea of collecting general revenue off of payroll is intriguing, but how would it get organized? Me for example. I live in Mastic. I work in the Bronx. Where would I pay? Don't take it as a simplistic question, as I realize the taxes would be due where I reside, just the collection aspect sounds a bit tricky. Or it would just be another page in your NYS tax packet. However, for houses that have more than one family in them, or extended families, it sounds like a very fair way of "sharing the burden".
The school systems are feifdoms. Totally out of touch with what I understand as reality. (please hold snide remarks........)
The Forge, and for that matter, the Carmens rivers are both pretty creepy. Not being a boater or water person (well, I did work on some off shore racing & dragboats many years ago), it really comes down to this: Just fix it if it is fixible. sheeesh.
I dream of only working one job. In seven years when I am done paying for having been married and having kids, maybe. 'til then, it's hustle and dream..
And it's not anyone else, just very few are willing (you know who they are) to put the effort in. Selfishness>selflessness it seems.

[SuperShafts]

The payroll tax could be done thru the employer as per check on payroll.

That would alleviate a lot of burden from people....but no they don't even try it, they don't even talk about it, not a single thing is done on that.

The carmens river along with the forge..almost the same...the forge doesn't run....that's pretty cut and dry..but not for the simpltons involved..

If they filled in both rivers tomorrow what would happen?...aside from having less mosquitos...Lol they probably wouldn't even notice if no one told them..

The schools...i would love to see there accounts....there is no way there at the bottom of the barrel, there is no possible way...
You do not even think about just taking a million off the top unless there is a substancial pot there for it to get lost in...they should find a investment situation if they want that kind of pot to play with, like unions do, but the repeated increase every year...i think i was hit twice last year and twice this year, and niether of those increases was for a few dollars...
I was flipping out...wth could cause that much of an increase..every year i do without and i manage to get buy...but a school needs another million to get buy and there is no drastic increase in students...so why is all that needed....

Oh and then the bleeding hearts start with there bs.....it's for the kids....for the kids! ! ! ! ! ! when my kid comes home and tells me "hey dad my math/ss/eng/sci/gym teacher got laid off then and only then will i HEAR it's for the kids....
The extra stuff......what extra stuff that i don't pay for....the band....i paid money for that...the baseball, i paid for that, the bus i do not allow them to ride...i pay for that, and i pay for my private bus to take them there and home...

Kisds don't need umpteen things to do after school........