Questions & Answers
Community engagement from the citizens of the Village of New Paltz is a vital part of the process of developing a Village Dissolution Plan. This page features questions submitted by New Paltz community members, as well as Frequently Asked Questions regarding village dissolution.
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Questions Submitted by the Village of New Paltz Community
Responses to questions submitted by members of the Village of New Paltz community have been posted below.
Only registered voters in the Village can vote in the referendum.
Should the residents of the Village vote to dissolve the Village, there will no longer be a Village government. As such, all services and governance will be provided by the Town.
If the Village does not vote to dissolve, governance and service delivery remain the same as it is today.
Dissolution does not affect school or county taxes.
We are unaware of the existence of any statewide historical research on the post dissolution impact on taxes for village and town residents. However, each Village that has dissolved is required to have developed a dissolution plan that details the projected impact on Village and Town tax rates as well as identifies the anticipated Citizen’s Empowerment Tax Credit. Please feel free to peruse two samples at:
Village of South Nyack Dissolution Plan – https://labergegroup.com/southnyack/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/FINAL-Draft-South-Nyack-Dissolution-Plan-06.03.21.pdf
Village of Mastic Beach Dissolution Plan – https://labergegroup.com/masticbeach/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Mastic-Beach-Dissolution-Plan-FINAL-DOCUMENT-2017-03-16for-Upload.pdf
The Rockefeller Institute of Government has prepared a basic comparative look at the Village Dissolution in Ohio and New York which can be found at https://rockinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/OH-NY-Village-Dissolutions-001.pdf
It is important to know that the impacts of dissolution are very different community to community and require customized research and analysis reflective each community. The research, analysis, and Dissolution Plan development has just begun in New Paltz. Currently, we are in the data gathering phase.
We suggest that you check back closer to the second public information meeting for a more in depth response to your question. In general, village dissolution ends the village government transfers the delivery of services and governance to the Town Board. As such, all services currently provided by the Village will be provided by the Town of New Paltz. Governance would be provided by the Town Board; water, sewer, road maintenance and parks/recreation will be provided by Town staff; planning and zoning would be overseen by the Town Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, etc. Fire services will still be provided, but the form of that service is still to be decided. Public Safety and Justice Court services will continue to be provided townwide.
We are unsure as to the form of this question. In so far as zoning is concerned, upon dissolution, the Village Zoning Code stays in effect for up to two (2) years or until such time as it is repealed, replaced, or meshed into the Town Zoning Code – whichever comes sooner. Upon dissolution, the Town Planning Board will be the entity overseeing land use and site plan approval in accordance with both the Village Zoning Code and then the new Town Zoning Code. The dissolution planning process, which has just begun, will outline options related to land use planning and may result in the identification of a potential preferred approach towards Village zoning post a possible dissolution.
Upon review of the dissolution and consolidation process, the Village chose to initiate a Village Dissolution Plan as a more efficient method of government reorganization planning.
The Consultant has just initiated the study of the impacts of dissolution and will be developing of the Proposed Dissolution Plan in concert with the Village planning process. The consultant has not made any recommendations.
The initial meeting held on January 15th was an introduction to the process. Links to a recording and presentation slides from the January 15th Public Informational Meeting #1 are available through the Public Info and Meetings page of this website or for the recording of meeting, please click HERE. To view and/or download slides from the presentation, please click HERE.
The Village of New Paltz publicized the meeting on their website, Facebook, and on the project website. If you haven’t already, please sign up for email alerts on the Project Website so that you will get notifications as information, meetings and documents become available.
Note: Answers to the following questions will be determined within the Dissolution Plan. The consultant has recently begun the data collection, research and analysis for the Village of New Paltz Dissolution Plan. Please check back on this website throughout the process for more detailed information regarding the following questions.
Village Demographic Questions:
I. How many people live within the boundaries of the Village of New Paltz?
II. How many people who live within the boundaries of the Village of New Paltz are registered to vote?
III. How many residential homes and vacant properties zoned residential lie within the boundaries of the Village of New Paltz?
IV. How many commercial properties and vacant properties zoned commercial lie within the boundaries of the Village of New Paltz?
V. How many rental properties lie within the village of New Paltz?
VI. How many individuals reside in rental properties in the Village of New Paltz?
VII. How many non-owner occupied rental properties lie within the Village of New Paltz?
VIII. How many miles of roadway lie within the Village of New Paltz?
IX. How many miles of sidewalk lie within the Village of New Paltz?
X. How many employees are on the payroll of the Village of New Paltz?
XI. How many volunteers serve on appointed government boards in the Village of New Paltz?
Town outside the Village Demographic Questions:
Please provide comparable information regarding the demographics for the residents, voters and properties situated in the Town of New Paltz which lie outside the boundaries of the Village.
The consultant has recently begun the data collection, research and analysis for the Village of New Paltz Dissolution Plan. Please check back on this website throughout the process for more detailed information.
Specific workgroups will be selected at the Steering Committee Meeting on February 10th. Workgroups comprised of representatives of the Village and Town officials and staff knowledgeable in the subject matter will be providing input on current operations in the Town and Village and will work to define possible post dissolution service and service delivery models should the Village electorate vote to dissolve.
The workgroup schedule is currently being formulated. Please check back as information and scheduling becomes available.
It is important to note that even though a village may vote to dissolve in a referendum, all aspects of village governance are in place until midnight on the date of dissolution (unless certain services are transferred earlier under an IMA). As such, all elected trustees are still in office until that date and time.
The Village of New Paltz Proposed Dissolution Plan will provide information regarding the probable impact of a potential dissolution on issues ranging from continuity of governance, to tax rates, to service delivery. The analysis will include the potential impact on Town taxpayers outside the Village as well as the potential impact on Village property owners. Please check back as the study is developed to review the potential Post-Dissolution Tax Impact on Village and Town property owners.
The consultant team is currently researching and analyzing the impact on current village employees. Please check back later in the process to review the transition plan.
It is important to note that Village local laws and codes remain in effect for 2 years unless repealed, incorporated into Town law or amended and incorporated into Town law. A preliminary review of Village and Town local laws will be conducted during the study development process to identify those local laws recommended to be repealed, amended, or incorporated into the Town Code. Upon dissolution, Town local laws and codes will apply to Village residents.
The Village of New Paltz Proposed Dissolution Plan will provide information regarding the probable impact of a potential dissolution on issues ranging from continuity of governance, to tax rates, to service delivery.
Should the Village voters elect to dissolve, there will no longer be a Village tax bill; however, there will be a change in the Town property taxes that Village property owners will pay. The proposed plan will present the potential property tax impact on Village property owners. This will include a comparison of the current combined Village and Town property taxes to estimated post dissolution Town property taxes that property owners in the former Village would be responsible for. There may be a “legacy” property tax levied on the Town tax bill on properties in the former Village to cover any outstanding Village debts or obligations. In addition, there may be certain services specific to the Village, such as street lighting, water and sewer that would be funded by a tax levy or fee upon the properties that specifically benefit from the service. It is also important to point out that the dissolution of a village does not impact school or county property taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
General Municipal Law Article 17-A provides a unified process for the dissolution of local government entities. The process is applicable to towns, villages, fire protection districts, and special improvement districts created pursuant to Articles 11, 12, 12-a, or 13 of Town Law, and other districts created by law. Under Article 17-A of General Municipal Law, there are two different methods for local governments to consider: Board-Initiated or Citizen-Initiated.
The Board of Trustees of the Village of New Paltz has voted to explore the option of dissolution of the Village government which would result in absorption of governance and services by the Town of New Paltz. The Board has secured CREG grant funding from the New York State Department of State to produce a Village Dissolution Plan. This Plan will assist the Board and the residents of New Paltz in understanding the potential impacts of dissolution.
In addition to this Plan, the Village will host a public information meeting to answer questions regarding the process and potential outcomes as well as a public hearing during which the Draft Plan will be presented.
This is a Board-Initiated Dissolution process. The Village of New Paltz Board of Trustees voted to explore the option of dissolution of the Village government, which would result in absorption of governance and services by the Town of New Paltz. The development of a Village Dissolution Plan will provide information regarding the probable impact of a potential dissolution on issues ranging from continuity of governance, to tax rates, to service delivery. Once the Draft Plan has been completed, it will be available for both the Board and Village residents to consider.
Should the Board decide to accept the Plan, thereby advancing the dissolution process, Village residents will have the opportunity to vote on whether or not to dissolve the Village in a referendum.
In accordance with New York General Municipal Law (GML) Article 17-A §774, the Board of Trustees of the Village of New Paltz is required to prepare a Dissolution Plan under a Board initiated process. As mandated by Article 17-A, the Plan will include the following information:
- The name of the local government entity to be dissolved.
- The territorial boundaries of the entity.
- The type and/or class of the entity.
- A fiscal estimate of the cost of dissolution.
- The entity’s assets, including but not limited to real and personal property, and the fair value thereof in current money of the United States.
- Any plan for the transfer or elimination of public employees.
- The entity’s liabilities and indebtedness, bonded and otherwise, and the fair value thereof in current money of the United States.
- Any agreements entered into with the Town in which the entity is situated in order to carry out the dissolution.
- The manner and means by which the residents of the entity will continue to be furnished municipal services following the entity’s dissolution.
- Terms for the disposition of the entity’s assets and the disposition of its liabilities and indebtedness, including the levy and collection of the necessary taxes and assessments therefore.
- Findings as to whether any local laws, ordinances, rules or regulations of the entity shall remain in effect after the effective date of the dissolution or shall remain in effect for a period of time other than as provided by GML Article 17-A §789.
- The effective date of the dissolution.
- The time and place or places for a public hearing or hearings on the proposed dissolution plan.
- Any other matter desirable or necessary to carry out the dissolution.
The Village Dissolution Plan will also provide information regarding the probable impact of a potential dissolution on issues ranging from continuity of governance, to tax rates, to service delivery.
General Municipal Law (GML) Article 17-A lays out the legal process for a Board initiated dissolution. In accordance with Article 17-A, the Village Board must accept by resolution the Village Dissolution Plan in order to further the dissolution process. To learn about the full process of a Board initiated dissolution, click HERE.
No. The Town of New Paltz will have no vote in the Village’s dissolution process. This is considered a local government decision. Only the residents of the Village of New Paltz are permitted to participate in the referendum.
Check this website periodically for updates. Information will also be available on the Village’s website.
Yes. Please use THIS LINK and then select “Villages Dissolved Since 1900” to access the New York State Department of State’s list of dissolved villages.
Submit a Question
Stay informed and active in the process by using the form below to submit your questions.
A reply to your question will be posted below within 5 business days (without your name).
Updated December 30, 2024
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