They Want to Be a Part of It . . . .

Acacia Village wants to be a part of Utica, NY, that is! Really? SOMEBODY actually WANTS to be part of Utica?

This should be a message to the nay-sayers: Utica does have things to offer people that they want . . . and maybe having been located in Herkimer County had something to do with this development . . .

Had they been located in Oneida County, they probably would have simply gotten whatever services they wanted by having the county "regionalize" the services for them.

"We're extremely disappointed," Herkimer County Administrator Jim Wallace said. "We have no problem or concern with how the individuals voted. They did what they had to do. We understand that. We're just very disappointed with the Masonic Home for the tactics they used ...we think it's a historical break, and totally unnecessary. We also didn't get the support of the City of Utica or Oneida County. It's just disappointing in a time for regionalization."

But, Mr. Wallace, Annexation IS Regionalization . . . the way it should be.

. . . but see below for an idea on how both Utica and Herkimer County might benefit from more Utica annexations . . . if the annexed land were allowed to stay in Herkimer County.

Think about this for a minute. If Utica expanded into Herkimer County with the right kind of zoning (eg. industrial or retail -- whatever will not generate need for social services), Utica services would provide all that are needed to support growth. . . with minimal negative impact to Herkimer County finances. . . However, the property taxes and sales taxes that would be generated for the Herkimer County coffers could be significant. Since Herkimer County and the City of Utica have roughly the same population, Herkimer County probably could cut its County Wide sales tax in half and not even feel it because Utica would shop in the Herkimer County part of Utica! Retail traffic might even move from New Hartford to the New East Utica because of a significantly lower sales tax. Utica would have property to expand its tax base . . . and Herkimer County would have services to expand its tax base. Herkimer County could not do this by itself because it does not have the population to support the services, but a Utica-Herkimer County team does! While the Town of Frankfort might lose a few acres, it will not have to service them . . . And probably very little land would need to be annexed to accomplish a transformation of both the Utica and Herkimer County economies. . . There might even be some benefits that Frankfort could be given for the favor of giving up a few acres.

Now THAT would be regionalization!