(By jessy1) Does KJ pay taxes like the rest of us???
Response from Chris McKenna [ADMINISTRATOR]
Yes, property owners in Kiryas Joel pay property taxes, the same as those in other communities. There seems to be a perception that because this is a strictly religious community, homes and business claim religious exemptions from paying taxes. But that is not the case, except, of course, for synagogues and other places with a clear religious affiliation.
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(By Pinkus) While your paper has prominently covered the positions and actions of the parties involved in the Pipeline issue, it has widely overlooked the presence of a very different position held by the masses in Kiryas Joel who resent the confrontational and inconsiderate approach taken by Village Officials, and are greatly dismayed when some are trying to cast horrendous accusations on anyone who opposes the Pipeline. Is the paper aware of that?
Response from Chris McKenna [ADMINISTRATOR]
The Record is aware that some Kiryas Joel residents are critical of what they see as an overly aggressive approach on the pipeline issue and in relations with neighbors. The Kiryas Joel Alliance, the opposition party in the village, has been advocating a more conciliatory approach with the neighboring communities, saying that keeping good relations are as important as solving the water and housing needs at the center of the dispute. But it's unclear for now how many people share that view and what concrete alternatives the opposition would offer.
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(By MayorMitch) Will your paper allow all to get involved in the question and answer or will you be censoring and banning certain people again? Does Freedom to speak still exist with your paper as stated previously? "Freedom of speech is the fundamental banner under which the newspaper and its websites operate. Yet the judicial system has set parameters even for those entities. Everything we do flows from these decisions."
Response from Chris McKenna [ADMINISTRATOR]
The Record will answer any questions on the topic at hand.
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(By louh) Does KJ have any alternative options should they not get this pipline? Do they consider alternative sites to begin a new community as they developed KJ in Orange County?
Response from Chris McKenna [ADMINISTRATOR]
Kiryas Joel studied several alternatives to the pipeline as part of their environmental review for the project. One would be to continue drilling wells, the same thing the village has been doing to supply water since it was formed. There are little or no places left in the village to sink new wells, but the Hasidic community owns substantial property in Monroe and Woodbury where more wells could be drilled. The best information the Record has at this point is that the Satmar community is not looking into alternative sites to establish another Kiryas Joel to accommodate the population growth.
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(By gosmoke) what do you think about the pipeline?
Response from Chris McKenna [ADMINISTRATOR]
I'm just a reporter; I don't have an opinion on the pipeline. I can say that state law entitles any municipality in any county crossed by one of New York City's aqueducts to draw water from them, provided they pay the going rate and draw only what their population warrants. The conflicting opinions on whether doing so in this case would be good or bad for Kiryas Joel and the surrounding area have been well covered in this paper.
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(By jhillary) Exactly where will the proposed 13-mile pipeline be created? What towns will be affected and how?
Response from Chris McKenna [ADMINISTRATOR]
The pipeline would run from the Catskill Aqueduct in the Vails Gate seciton of New Windsor to Kiryas Joel, where the water would be filtered and distributed. On its way, the pipe would run underground through Cornwall, Blooming Grove and Monroe, following Routes 94, 27, 208 and 17. Most of the pipe would be in Blooming Grove. Its effects are a matter of heated debate. Kiryas Joel says it would help the surrounding area by relieving the strain on groundwater supplies, since tapping New York City's water would allow the village to relegate its wells to backup. Blooming Grove has raised concerns about the traffic disruption it would cause during construction. But the broader concern that critics have raised is that having access to so much water will perpetuate the village's rapid population growth, inducing it to expand its borders. Orange County government's main issue is that Kiryas Joel hasn't explained how all the additional wastewater will be treated, considering the sewage limitations in southern Orange. (Water in equals water out.)
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(By n2ubp) Good Morning Chris. My only personal objection as a resident of Orange County to this plan is the potential this project has to increase urban sprawl. Do you think others feel the same way or does it go deeper ?
Response from Chris McKenna [ADMINISTRATOR]
Urban sprawl does seem to be one of the largest concerns, although you are right that the opposition in some cases may go a bit deeper. The pipeline proposal seems to have drawn to the surface many of the feelings outsiders have about this unique community, drawing into the debate issues that ostensibly have little to do with water use. For instance, you will see questions in this chat about whether Kiryas Joel residents pay taxes and about the extent of public assistance in the village. Kiryas Joel leaders have publicly stated their view that at least some of the opposition to the pipeline and the village's potential expansion stems from anti-Hasidic bigotry, regardless of the arguements the critics have made. The view from many on the opposite side of the debate is that Kiryas Joel is recklessly and unfairly leveling this charge against people whose only concerns are for protecting the environment and their quality of life.
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(By sam) Thanks for your unbiased coverage concerning KJ. Most of your stories about our village are about controversies. Why don't you write more often positive stories about kj's genuine virtues. We have 0% crime, 0% drugs, 0 percent gangs, o.3% divorces etc. We have More charity and volunteer organizations than any other town or village in the region, but we don't have a police force.
Response from Chris McKenna [ADMINISTRATOR]
Other communities make the same complaint -- all negative news, where's the positive? I understand the complaint. One reason news organizations usually have more "negative" stories than "positive" ones is that one of their primary functions is to be watchdogs. Also, to be frank, stories with conflict and controversy are much more interesting to read. That said, this paper is happy to publish positive stories out of Kiryas Joel or any other place, provided they are compelling enough to command general interest. Feel free to pitch some.
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(By gosmoke) do you think the pipeline is going to go threw?
Response from Chris McKenna [ADMINISTRATOR]
Depends on how this court battle plays out and what New York City decides. The city has emphasized repeatedly that the village is legally entitled to tap the Catskill Aqueduct, but it has not rendered a final decision. Nor will it do so until the final, detailed designs are submitted.
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(By Joe) Do you think it's fair that other municipalities in Orange county that are taking water from the city reservoir are not getting the same attention? And why are you not dedicating an article for this topic?
Response from Chris McKenna [ADMINISTRATOR]
Kiryas Joel officials certainly feel it's unfair that their aqueduct application is causing more of a fuss than those of other Orange County municipalities that have tapped in. We have allowed them to voice that view in an article. Critics would reply that there are unique circumstances in this case -- such as limited sewage treatment and Kiryas Joel's rapid population growth -- that warrant the added scrutiny.
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(By Olive) Are you answering only the Anti-KJ questions, I spoke to 10 people and they all say that they are asking reasonable questions and they are getting ignored, it seems to be that only negative to KJ leadership is being considerd as important by the Times Herald Record. IT IS FARE as you have done all the years.
Response from Chris McKenna [ADMINISTRATOR]
I've answered every serious question so far.
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(By myladyowl) In all due respect, I am having a hard time embracing Kiryas Joel's explosive growth at the expense of its neighbors. What is their plan for growth in terms of # of new families, new building, future land acquisitions, etc and is their plan available for public viewing?
Response from Chris McKenna [ADMINISTRATOR]
Kiryas Joel officials say the community's only growth these days is internal. Young people marry, settle in the bride's home community and start raising families, which typically end up quite large. This necessitates new homes, which in Kiryas Joel generally means block after block of condominium buildings of two or three stories. Leaders estimate the village needs roughly 200 new units a year to keep up with the growth. Where will they all go? Officials say there's enough room in the village's 1.1 square miles to keep building for several years. After that, the development can only go up -- with high-rises -- or out. The Hasidim -- developers and speculators from KJ, Rockland and Brooklyn -- own hundreds of vacant acres outside of the village that appear to be awaiting an expansion of its borders.
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(By ari) Hi Chris: I understand that Kiryas Joel undertook the pipeline project only after Orange County (during the water shortage of 1999) suggested that for the sake of harmony Kiryas Joel should curtail the usage of its wells and find a source of water that will not hurt its neighbors. Is that so?
Response from Chris McKenna [ADMINISTRATOR]
I have heard that stated, but, I confess, haven't looked into it. It does sound plausible that the county would have suggested the village find an alternative water source in 1999 after the village's wells caused so much controversy with its neighbors.
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(By myladyowl) For many years I have heard that appx 80% of the residents in Kiryas Joel are receiving some form of public assistance due to the large number of children in each family. Since water is vital to the existence of each community and it is becoming an expensive commodity, how will they tackle the costs of the new system and will they reign in reliance on public assistance?
Response from Chris McKenna [ADMINISTRATOR]
I can't vouch for your number, but village officials acknowledge the widespread dependence on public assistance in the community and say they are trying to reduce it through economic development programs -- such as computer training and English classes and a job placement office. The village had been courting a large corporation to open a call center or data processing office to employ large numbers of Kiryas Joel women, but thus far have been unsuccessful. How would the village pay for the pipeline? It had sought a $20 million federal grant but then borrowed $22 million when the potential for a grant became doubtful.
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(By sam) Are the village leaders at least trying to calm down the outrage against the pipeline?
Response from Chris McKenna [ADMINISTRATOR]
The village has responded with full-page newspaper ads defending the project and responding to the criticism. I have no idea what effect, if any, these ads have had on the opposition.
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(By mel253) What are the Pro's and Con's of Annexation for KJ and it's neighobrs?
Response from Chris McKenna [ADMINISTRATOR]
The short answer is that annexing land into Kiryas Joel would allow builders to continue building housing for the community at the same high density. Whether that's good or bad depends on where you stand. Kiryas Joel residents would no doubt cheer the potential for more housing while their neighbors would likely oppose the transformation of woods and fields into multi-family housing.
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