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Creighton Pitches Changes in Commercial Tax, Permit Structures

Incumbent town councilman Robert Creighton believes the town needs to change how permits and commercial taxes affect residents and local business owners.

Incumbent town councilman Robert Creighton said the Town of Smithtownis blocking the road for private homeowners and businesspeople - something he said he would remedy if re-elected Tuesday.

“I find it terribly frustrating people come to the town willing to pay for a permit to get something done and we continuously put stumbling blocks in their way for whatever reason … I just think it’s very, very difficult for the people that pay taxes to be stalled in whatever kind of venture that they’re involved in,” he said.

How does Creighton expect this to happen? By the town’s tax abatement program, a program the councilman said could be adopted at the next town board meeting on Nov. 17.

“Any company that spends more than $50,000 to improve its facility or to move in and build a new facility we’re giving them an abatement of 50 percent for the first year and then on a declining scale 5 percent every year after for a 10 year period,” he said. “It is designed to get new businesses to come in and get businesses that are in place to improve their business, to fix up their facilities.”

In addition to the tax abatement program, Creighton said he is not opposed to cutting permit fees for businesses and homeowners.

, Creighton said he and other council members were at town hall following the storm and town workers were hard at work.

“Public Safety was out en masse and probably was the most visible group of emergency workers … John Valentine was constantly in contact with the president [of LIPA],” he said. “I add nothing to emergency preparedness or service by going out and sitting in a truck and getting my picture taken, it doesn’t do a thing. All the days after Hurricane Irene I was in this office, I never received one phone call asking for any kind of advice or decision making from anybody, but we were here and we worked directly with the Public Safety people, constantly in contact with John Valentine."

Another issue Creighton plans on attacking further if re-elected is the design of Main Street in Smithtown. While plans have been offered to the town and state Department of Transportation, , he said a variation of that plan could be done immediately with the possibility of expanding on it further in the future.

The plan is to use paint striping instead of a concrete barrier to separate lanes and bring four lanes down to two and add a left-turning lane. Creighton said he expects to hear from the DOT in November to see if the plan is moving forward.

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reggieesmith November 4, 2011 at 01:10 pm
Pretty much all opinion based on speculation.
No facts. No information other than hear say. And promises made with no actual plan on how to deliver them. Still going downhill here in Smithtown with the new Hurricane Irene Tax. Why?? Only Smithtown got socked with a "cleanup tax" Thank you Mr. V, Mr. C and Mr. W. ((you lost My Vote)) Get ready for a NEW Snow Clean Up Tax this winter What's appalling is these officials are sitting on a $22 million dollar reserve - For What. A $5 million reserve is acceptable, 22 million is outrageous For the first time in my life, I’ m crossing party lines To VOTE for New Guys and NOT these Tax Mavens
Tom Gillen November 4, 2011 at 01:23 pm
Hi Reggie,
You sound an awful lot like someone name "Rhonda", who said the following yesterday: " rhonda 5:24pm on Thursday, November 3, 2011 Pretty much all opinion based on speculation. No facts. No information other than hear say. And promises made with no actual plan on how to deliver them. Still going downhill here in Smithtown with the new Hurricane Irene Tax. Why?? Only Smithtown got socked with a "cleanup tax" Thank you Mr. V, Mr. C and Mr. W. ((you lost My Vote)) What's appalling is these officials are sitting on a $22 million dollar reserve - For What. A $5 million reserve is acceptable, 22 million is outrageous For the first time in my life, I’ m crossing party lines To VOTE for New Guys and NOT the Tax Mavens" Come to think of it, it's the same word for word. That's weird. Don't believe me you can read "Rhonda's" post here http://kingspark.patch.com/articles/wehrheim-economic-growth-and-communciation-will-improve-if-re-elected#comments
rob November 4, 2011 at 02:47 pm
Hey Tom Gillen
or whatever your many alias (names) are?!?!? You sound just like Denise Creighton Pumping this column to confuse VOTERS == Stick to the Facts == $22 million surplus – is Excessive OVERKILL Both Incumbent Council people have NO CLUE how to administer finances Neither Incumbent has ever run a business or has business experience Tax Payers are paying these guys (each) $55K for on the job training – too expensive! The easiest thing to do is TAX the Public and create New & Excessive Permit Fees (bad way to run a town) Only during election time do they TALK ABOUT Reversing their position – but they fail to do so. Both Incumbents have a zero track record of accomplishments You have to wonder why the 2 Incumbents do not have a website Every real candidate has a website today. Maybe it’s because they haven’t accomplished anything in the past 8 years. Denise or whatever your many names are – Stop Confusing the Voters Thank you
Tom Gillen November 4, 2011 at 02:53 pm
Right. Alias. I'm a contributor on this site, thank you. Don't you find it odd that Rhonda/Reggie Smith posted the exact same thing word for word in two different articles? Oh, the confusion! Matter of fact - your writing style is almost identical to that of Rhonda/Reggie Smith....hmmm
rob November 4, 2011 at 03:10 pm
Amazin' you responded in less then 5 minutes
WOW - we gotcha Denise
rob November 4, 2011 at 03:11 pm
Amazin' you responded in less then 5 minutes
WOW - we gotcha Denise
Tom Gillen November 4, 2011 at 03:26 pm
I'm not going to play your childish game and turn the comment section into a spectacle. The readers know exactly what you're trying to do, Rob/Rhonda/Reggie Smith. gotcha!
Tom Gillen November 4, 2011 at 03:27 pm
good luck to all candidates. may the best person win
Denise Creighton November 4, 2011 at 07:01 pm
Tom,
Anyone who reads The Patch knows your name as a contributor. Anyone who knows me knows I have never hidden behind an alias. They also know I have a full-time job which would make it impossible for me to respond midday. Let the person hiding behind the computer repetitively post and ignore them. Obviously he/she has way too much time on his/her hands. Keep up the great work at The Patch, Tom. You and those like you at The Patch seem to get that it is all about recognizing the good in our town!
George McKnight November 5, 2011 at 07:36 pm
@ Tom add Stella to the list.......:)
stella November 5, 2011 at 08:16 pm
poor Mr. Mc Knight
I have 2 neighbors that gave their listings ($879K ea) to Coldwell after reading his silly comments about stolen yard signs a few weeks back. They felt he would spend way too much time yaking here and not selling. Ha ha.
George McKnight November 6, 2011 at 11:32 pm
Well Stella, Mr. Knipsel whoever you are, I have never depended on a politician to keep myself employed. I will however make sure to send in my unemployment insurance payment because as of Tuesday you won't have a job. You can live off the public teet on unemployment. Maybe next time you will learn to respect the public when asking for a job and debate with ideas. Personal attacks only show how weak your candidacy is.
Camlle November 13, 2011 at 05:02 pm
MR CREIGHTON!!! You better work fast on the permit issues ! Losing businesses in leaps and bounds .Main St looks like a ghetto . I MOVED here many yrs ago because I loved Smithtown's Main st .Now I avoid it .. BTW , is anyone awhere of a "massage palor" , I call it that because I cannot write here what is supposed to be going on in there, across the road from the train station? Was on Craigs list, I have been told
Note Article
Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
P. J. Miller June 18, 2013 at 02:36 pm
Assisted living is a good thing - they are not filled with drunken people, loud music....noise!!Read More Sit in a parking lot of an assisted living you will see that first they are not filled with cars. Honestly, having been through the system with parents and relatives, it is sad what happens to some of the people at assisted living or nursing homes. Relatives just drop them off and never visit. You'll get the occasional visit on maybe Christmas or Mothers / Fathers day, but for the most part they get very little foot traffic. And the people that work there tell the same story. But it is quiet. I would prefer an assisted living over a catering hall any day of the week.
Cathryn S June 18, 2013 at 09:06 pm
You are absolutely right pj. Its comparing apples to oranges. Assisted living is for the elderlyRead More that cant take care of themselves. What noise is created. They are indoors and at the age where driving may not be an option. And the facility faces Route 25A. A main corridor that has been used as a main road for over 50 years. A road that has gas stations,bars, hospitals, nursing homes, retail stores and high schools presently on it. Why not an assisted living.
P. J. Miller June 18, 2013 at 10:06 pm
Exactly. Don't see a problem having it. Many of them don't even go outdoors.
Vick w June 18, 2013 at 08:18 am
how is this allowed!!! I thought sex offenders were not allowed to live or be within a certainRead More amount of feet from a school or park or playground???? This "person" is young also, born in 1990 so he might blend in by the high school. he raped an 11 year old girl and only got 2 years in prison.
Vick w June 18, 2013 at 08:22 am
to see the pig, click or copy link belowRead More http://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/SomsSUBDirectory/offenderDetails.jsp?offenderid=34309
Nick June 18, 2013 at 04:06 pm
2 years in prison!!....I think a zero should have been added to his sentence.... If I were theRead More father of the 11 year old he would not be walking around today!
knee jerk June 17, 2013 at 09:02 am
Nice. While waiting for the gates to go up, you could have viewed some of the direlect buildings inRead More town.
knee jerk June 17, 2013 at 08:58 am
Creten?
The Smithtown Avenger June 17, 2013 at 12:19 pm
I don't think the town has a say in it. That is the good old MTA.
June Kempf June 13, 2013 at 09:14 am
As past president of the Sufolk County chapter of MDA and 30 year volunteer, I would like to urgeRead More young men in the community to take the challenge and enrich your lives as well as the families of vicitms of this dread disease. You have no idea how much you will be needed and appreciated. Go for it!