Woodcrest Golf Course to Build ChautauquaVacation Homes
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Monday, March 27, 2006
Sinclairville Wild Animal Farm Holds Fund Raiser. When your in the area stop by with the kids.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Holiday Valley, NY upcoming events :
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living Visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Sunday, March 26, 2006
It's wonderful to witness renewal of life in spring 3/26/2006
It's that time of year again. Time to watch as black branches turn into tinges of pale color, first little shoots, then tiny buds, blossoms and, finally, full green leaves.
It starts with black branches threaded delicately through blue sky. But as the stages move stealthily toward full-blown leafiness, tinges of green suddenly expand to hide the sky, seemingly overnight. Spring has sprung, usually moving all too quickly into summer.
Too quickly, because I love to watch the trees awaken slowly, on a daily basis. But every year, I forget just one day as I get caught up in the wrangles of daily living. And in that one slip of time, overnight, they go into full bloom without me!
It's always a disappointment, for my goal is to see it happen, to enjoy step by lovely step from barren to bloom. This is my very favorite time of year, the promise of spring bursting forth its uplifting message of warmer days ahead, every sign a bright reminder of future blessings.
Sunshine tells of sandals and shorts, of boat rides on Chautauqua Lake. Warming breezes shout of ice cream cones, of Italian sausage at family reunions in Clarence Town Park.
But mostly it's witnessing renewal of life that makes me smile. As I watch the trees bud through all their lacy transitions from twigs to summer's leaves, I focus first on sky that fills all minute spaces. Seeing next the crocheted trelliswork of subtle green on black, laced by soft blue, I find myself wishing this stage could last forever - much as one wishes a playful kitten could always be that ball of fuzzy fun rather than its full-grown audacious and sassy counterpart, a cat!
But I know that's impossible, so instead I make a conscious effort to witness each fast-moving phase, especially when on the road, though that's not the only place I study.
I also wander around my yard, watching changes in my flower beds. It's true that weeds are saucily raising their persistent heads, but so are little shoots of irises and bleeding hearts. Some of the early rising flowers bob their heads in greeting. Wind-flowers, one of my favorites, dance their blossoms in time with the breeze, activity that undoubtedly gave them their charming name. Daffodils in all their yellow glory also bend to the wind, while their equally golden counterparts, forsythia, stretch up in swarms of glory. Downward, creeping ground-cover stretches outward to disguise brown earth.
The same little buds I see on trees I also see on bushes, every day growing a little bigger. Ornamental trees add their share of rosy pink and white to the color chart. Life is everywhere.
But the very best about this season is that I can watch it twice. Heading north out of Pittsburgh to visit family in Buffalo, or to weekend in Chautauqua, I watch the trees change all over again. It's a lovely bonus.
Years of "scientific" spotting have shown that up north warms some two weeks later than Pennsylvania, so at this time of year, each trip brings double pleasures, the vistas on the road heading northward mingling nicely with pleasures of family fun anticipated at the end of the journey. The return home presents another chance to witness that minute-to-minute transition, the simple wonders and beauty of growing life.
Watch for it. Don't miss a minute. Because if you forget, for even one day, those trees will be in absolute full summer's bloom and you will have missed it, till another 365 days transpire.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
It's that time of year again. Time to watch as black branches turn into tinges of pale color, first little shoots, then tiny buds, blossoms and, finally, full green leaves.
It starts with black branches threaded delicately through blue sky. But as the stages move stealthily toward full-blown leafiness, tinges of green suddenly expand to hide the sky, seemingly overnight. Spring has sprung, usually moving all too quickly into summer.
Too quickly, because I love to watch the trees awaken slowly, on a daily basis. But every year, I forget just one day as I get caught up in the wrangles of daily living. And in that one slip of time, overnight, they go into full bloom without me!
It's always a disappointment, for my goal is to see it happen, to enjoy step by lovely step from barren to bloom. This is my very favorite time of year, the promise of spring bursting forth its uplifting message of warmer days ahead, every sign a bright reminder of future blessings.
Sunshine tells of sandals and shorts, of boat rides on Chautauqua Lake. Warming breezes shout of ice cream cones, of Italian sausage at family reunions in Clarence Town Park.
But mostly it's witnessing renewal of life that makes me smile. As I watch the trees bud through all their lacy transitions from twigs to summer's leaves, I focus first on sky that fills all minute spaces. Seeing next the crocheted trelliswork of subtle green on black, laced by soft blue, I find myself wishing this stage could last forever - much as one wishes a playful kitten could always be that ball of fuzzy fun rather than its full-grown audacious and sassy counterpart, a cat!
But I know that's impossible, so instead I make a conscious effort to witness each fast-moving phase, especially when on the road, though that's not the only place I study.
I also wander around my yard, watching changes in my flower beds. It's true that weeds are saucily raising their persistent heads, but so are little shoots of irises and bleeding hearts. Some of the early rising flowers bob their heads in greeting. Wind-flowers, one of my favorites, dance their blossoms in time with the breeze, activity that undoubtedly gave them their charming name. Daffodils in all their yellow glory also bend to the wind, while their equally golden counterparts, forsythia, stretch up in swarms of glory. Downward, creeping ground-cover stretches outward to disguise brown earth.
The same little buds I see on trees I also see on bushes, every day growing a little bigger. Ornamental trees add their share of rosy pink and white to the color chart. Life is everywhere.
But the very best about this season is that I can watch it twice. Heading north out of Pittsburgh to visit family in Buffalo, or to weekend in Chautauqua, I watch the trees change all over again. It's a lovely bonus.
Years of "scientific" spotting have shown that up north warms some two weeks later than Pennsylvania, so at this time of year, each trip brings double pleasures, the vistas on the road heading northward mingling nicely with pleasures of family fun anticipated at the end of the journey. The return home presents another chance to witness that minute-to-minute transition, the simple wonders and beauty of growing life.
Watch for it. Don't miss a minute. Because if you forget, for even one day, those trees will be in absolute full summer's bloom and you will have missed it, till another 365 days transpire.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Friday, March 24, 2006
For the Kids, 2185 Mill Creek Road Sinclairville
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Chautauqua Lake Hotel Gets Little Opposition
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Bemus Point Condo Project Delayed
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit:
www.chautauqualakehomes.com
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit:
www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Monday, March 20, 2006
1031 Do’s and Don’ts By Lorraine Stuart Merrill:
Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code contains serious tax benefits for property owners who qualify—and who plan before they leap into a sale. “Even though this is an old law, enacted by Congress in 1921, only a relatively small number of people utilize it,” notes Tom Torsney, senior vice president of TIMCOR Exchange Corporation, a national qualify¬ing intermediary. “With less tax to pay, more money can be reinvested into more valuable property. It’s one of the last great tax breaks,” Torsney declares. “It is a means of building wealth, using undiminished gains to reinvest into more valuable property.” A Section 1031 exchange is not a do¬it-yourself project. The IRS has rigid specifications, including the use of a qualifying intermediary (QI) to hold the property and money until the exchange is completed with acquisition and transfer of the replacement property. Consult with a financial planner or tax account¬ant, and find a reputable professional QI before you sell. Follow these basic rules for
1031 exchanges. DO:
Plan ahead to meet all requirements of Section 1031.
Establish a rental history for vacation home property. The IRS has not set a firm rule, but attorney Richard Lipton, tax partner with Baker & McKenzie in Chicago, advises a minimum two years of rental his¬tory, prefers five years.
Report change of use from personal to rental/investment to IRS by filing return showing rental income, expenses. “The biggest trap taxpayers fall into is to not establish a paper trail,” advises Scott Saunders, senior vice president of Asset Preservation, Inc.
Secure the services and advice of a rep¬utable and knowledgeable attorney, tax accountant, and qualified intermediary.
Make sure a reputable qualified inter¬mediary holds all funds and title until the exchange is completed.
Identify replacement property within 45 days of date of transfer of property being relinquished in an exchange.
Have the replacement property transferred to exactly the same ownership as the relin¬quished property.
Complete the exchange within 180 days of transfer of relinquished property.
DO NOT:
Use a home for personal use more than 14 days a year, or ten percent of annual total occupied days, for at least one year. Two or more may be safer.
Select replacement property of lesser value than the relinquished property, unless prepared to pay taxes on the ‘boot’ or difference in value.
Allow a relative or personal agent such as attorney, realtor, or accountant to act as the intermediary, because IRS will not qualify such an agent as independent.
Take control of proceeds from relinquished property or title of acquired property at any point before the exchange is completed.
Use 1031 exchanges for ‘flipping’ rental properties. Property held primarily for sale, vs. investment, does not qualify, warns Jon Christianson, vice president and general counsel for Asset Preservation, Inc.
Wait for an audit to try to establish investment or rental use of exchange property.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code contains serious tax benefits for property owners who qualify—and who plan before they leap into a sale. “Even though this is an old law, enacted by Congress in 1921, only a relatively small number of people utilize it,” notes Tom Torsney, senior vice president of TIMCOR Exchange Corporation, a national qualify¬ing intermediary. “With less tax to pay, more money can be reinvested into more valuable property. It’s one of the last great tax breaks,” Torsney declares. “It is a means of building wealth, using undiminished gains to reinvest into more valuable property.” A Section 1031 exchange is not a do¬it-yourself project. The IRS has rigid specifications, including the use of a qualifying intermediary (QI) to hold the property and money until the exchange is completed with acquisition and transfer of the replacement property. Consult with a financial planner or tax account¬ant, and find a reputable professional QI before you sell. Follow these basic rules for
1031 exchanges. DO:
Plan ahead to meet all requirements of Section 1031.
Establish a rental history for vacation home property. The IRS has not set a firm rule, but attorney Richard Lipton, tax partner with Baker & McKenzie in Chicago, advises a minimum two years of rental his¬tory, prefers five years.
Report change of use from personal to rental/investment to IRS by filing return showing rental income, expenses. “The biggest trap taxpayers fall into is to not establish a paper trail,” advises Scott Saunders, senior vice president of Asset Preservation, Inc.
Secure the services and advice of a rep¬utable and knowledgeable attorney, tax accountant, and qualified intermediary.
Make sure a reputable qualified inter¬mediary holds all funds and title until the exchange is completed.
Identify replacement property within 45 days of date of transfer of property being relinquished in an exchange.
Have the replacement property transferred to exactly the same ownership as the relin¬quished property.
Complete the exchange within 180 days of transfer of relinquished property.
DO NOT:
Use a home for personal use more than 14 days a year, or ten percent of annual total occupied days, for at least one year. Two or more may be safer.
Select replacement property of lesser value than the relinquished property, unless prepared to pay taxes on the ‘boot’ or difference in value.
Allow a relative or personal agent such as attorney, realtor, or accountant to act as the intermediary, because IRS will not qualify such an agent as independent.
Take control of proceeds from relinquished property or title of acquired property at any point before the exchange is completed.
Use 1031 exchanges for ‘flipping’ rental properties. Property held primarily for sale, vs. investment, does not qualify, warns Jon Christianson, vice president and general counsel for Asset Preservation, Inc.
Wait for an audit to try to establish investment or rental use of exchange property.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Saturday, March 18, 2006
A Milestone In Land Protection On Chautauqua Lake
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living Visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living Visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Our State's Top Five Spring Walleye Waters
Here's a look at where to go for some exciting spring walleye fishing on New York's top-rated lakes and reservoirs. (March 2006)
By Brian Krull
New York's waters provide some fantastic spring walleye fishing, and although the fishing doesn't really heat up until later in the spring, now is the time to start preparing to ensure success once the season opens May 6.
In most Empire State waters, the minimum length for walleyes is 15 inches and the daily limit is five fish. Some exceptions do exist and will be listed for the waters mentioned below. Check the 2006 freshwater fishing regulations before a trip.
LAKE ERIELake Erie is home to some of the best walleye fishing in the world, and the waters from the Pennsylvania border all the way to the Peace Bridge in Buffalo offer some excellent spring fishing.
Lake Erie has excellent boat access along its shoreline bordering Route 5. Heading east to west, the best public boat launches include Small Boat Harbor in Buffalo, Sturgeon Point Marina in Derby, Silver Creek (near the mouth of Cattaraugus Creek), Dunkirk Harbor and Barcelona.
When fishing the daylight hours, keep in mind that walleyes tend to move into 30 to 35 feet of water where they can be caught by drifting or trolling.
If you do not have access to a boat, there is some good spring walleye fishing available by wading at Wanakah Beach off Route 5 in Hamburg. There is also access for shore-casters at the mouth of Smokes Creek in Lackawanna. The daily limit on walleyes in Lake Erie is four fish.
When planning a walleye fishing trip on Lake Erie, be sure to check the weather forecast, as it can be extremely rough when the wind gets above 15 miles per hour and unsafe when the wind gets above 20 miles per hour. It is also wise to have an alternate plan to fish a nearby inland lake in the event that a prolonged windstorm blows in.
Accommodations are plentiful in the greater Buffalo area as well as in Dunkirk. Check with your favorite hotel chain because most are close to the lake.
For local fishing information, check with Miller's Bait and Tackle in Silver Creek or at the pier in Dunkirk.
CHAUTAUQUA LAKE In southern Chautauqua County, this lake offers great spring walleye fishing. The fun begins with the annual walleye tournament at 12:01 a.m. on opening day.
Chautauqua Lake, known for its great muskie fishing, has been a spring walleye hotspot for a number of years, producing excellent sizes and numbers of fish.
The Interstate Route 86 bridge divides the lake almost in half, and spring walleyes may be found in the shallows along the shoreline of both the northern and southern basins.
Daytime walleye fishing is rarely productive. Trolling or casting from dusk until sunrise will provide the best opportunities for catching a limit of walleyes, which in Chautauqua Lake is three fish with a minimum size limit of 18 inches.
Prendergast and Dewittville creeks, feeding the north basin of Chautauqua Lake, have great runs of spawning walleyes. Early in the season, the mouths of these creeks are two of the best spots for walleyes coming off their spawning beds. Other hotspots in early spring are the shoreline surrounding Long Point State Park, the I-86 bridge, and the water off Maple Springs on the eastern side of the northern basin.
Later in the spring, walleyes move away from the shorelines and into the weedbeds. They can be found by fishing the edge of any weed line, with two of the most noted hotspots being off the tower at Chautauqua Institution on the western side of the north basin and Cheney's Point on the western side of the southern basin.
Free boat access is plentiful on Chautauqua Lake, with five of seven public launches not charging launch fees. Perhaps the best and easiest of these is the New York Department of Environmental Conservation's launch at Bemus Point off Route 430, just a few miles from I-86 and a short drive from I-90. Because most of Chautauqua Lake is shallow, it can get pretty choppy on windy days, but it is rarely too rough to fish.
Long Point State Park offers some great opportunities for wading. Accommodations are plentiful in Jamestown at the southern end of the lake.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Here's a look at where to go for some exciting spring walleye fishing on New York's top-rated lakes and reservoirs. (March 2006)
By Brian Krull
New York's waters provide some fantastic spring walleye fishing, and although the fishing doesn't really heat up until later in the spring, now is the time to start preparing to ensure success once the season opens May 6.
In most Empire State waters, the minimum length for walleyes is 15 inches and the daily limit is five fish. Some exceptions do exist and will be listed for the waters mentioned below. Check the 2006 freshwater fishing regulations before a trip.
LAKE ERIELake Erie is home to some of the best walleye fishing in the world, and the waters from the Pennsylvania border all the way to the Peace Bridge in Buffalo offer some excellent spring fishing.
Lake Erie has excellent boat access along its shoreline bordering Route 5. Heading east to west, the best public boat launches include Small Boat Harbor in Buffalo, Sturgeon Point Marina in Derby, Silver Creek (near the mouth of Cattaraugus Creek), Dunkirk Harbor and Barcelona.
When fishing the daylight hours, keep in mind that walleyes tend to move into 30 to 35 feet of water where they can be caught by drifting or trolling.
If you do not have access to a boat, there is some good spring walleye fishing available by wading at Wanakah Beach off Route 5 in Hamburg. There is also access for shore-casters at the mouth of Smokes Creek in Lackawanna. The daily limit on walleyes in Lake Erie is four fish.
When planning a walleye fishing trip on Lake Erie, be sure to check the weather forecast, as it can be extremely rough when the wind gets above 15 miles per hour and unsafe when the wind gets above 20 miles per hour. It is also wise to have an alternate plan to fish a nearby inland lake in the event that a prolonged windstorm blows in.
Accommodations are plentiful in the greater Buffalo area as well as in Dunkirk. Check with your favorite hotel chain because most are close to the lake.
For local fishing information, check with Miller's Bait and Tackle in Silver Creek or at the pier in Dunkirk.
CHAUTAUQUA LAKE In southern Chautauqua County, this lake offers great spring walleye fishing. The fun begins with the annual walleye tournament at 12:01 a.m. on opening day.
Chautauqua Lake, known for its great muskie fishing, has been a spring walleye hotspot for a number of years, producing excellent sizes and numbers of fish.
The Interstate Route 86 bridge divides the lake almost in half, and spring walleyes may be found in the shallows along the shoreline of both the northern and southern basins.
Daytime walleye fishing is rarely productive. Trolling or casting from dusk until sunrise will provide the best opportunities for catching a limit of walleyes, which in Chautauqua Lake is three fish with a minimum size limit of 18 inches.
Prendergast and Dewittville creeks, feeding the north basin of Chautauqua Lake, have great runs of spawning walleyes. Early in the season, the mouths of these creeks are two of the best spots for walleyes coming off their spawning beds. Other hotspots in early spring are the shoreline surrounding Long Point State Park, the I-86 bridge, and the water off Maple Springs on the eastern side of the northern basin.
Later in the spring, walleyes move away from the shorelines and into the weedbeds. They can be found by fishing the edge of any weed line, with two of the most noted hotspots being off the tower at Chautauqua Institution on the western side of the north basin and Cheney's Point on the western side of the southern basin.
Free boat access is plentiful on Chautauqua Lake, with five of seven public launches not charging launch fees. Perhaps the best and easiest of these is the New York Department of Environmental Conservation's launch at Bemus Point off Route 430, just a few miles from I-86 and a short drive from I-90. Because most of Chautauqua Lake is shallow, it can get pretty choppy on windy days, but it is rarely too rough to fish.
Long Point State Park offers some great opportunities for wading. Accommodations are plentiful in Jamestown at the southern end of the lake.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Monday, March 13, 2006
Debate over Lakewood Boat Docks Continues
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Riptide in boat tragedy's wake
Undercurrent of inequity roils regulatory waters as state seeks to elevate safety on passenger vesselsBy TOM PRECIOUS and MAKI BECKER News Staff Reporters3/13/2006
Charles Lewis/Buffalo NewsRick Deegan, who operates the Dragon Lady tour boat off Grand Island, expects that his business is probably "a year or two away" from being subject to Coast Guard regulations similiar to those the state wants to impose onlandlocked lake boats.
When the Ethan Allen tour boat capsized on Lake George last October, killing 20 elderly passengers, the state's tour boat owners knew they soon would face new regulations.
As promised, Gov. George E. Pataki recently proposed legislation to toughen passenger boat safety standards and establish minimum insurance requirements.
But because of a quirk in maritime law, the standards can only apply to tour boats operated on landlocked bodies of water within the state.
So Rick Willman, who owns the Summer Wind, a 130-passenger party boat on Chautauqua Lake, soon may have to pay triple his current insurance premium to continue to operate his business.
But the Miss Buffalo in the Erie Basin Marina and the world-famous Maid of the Mist at the base of Niagara Falls won't see any rule changes.
The reason: Vessels on waters that in some way, however remotely, connect to the Great Lakes or the Atlantic Ocean are policed by the Coast Guard.
"It's just that we can get to the ocean, and they can't," said Michael R. Hayhurst, president of Buffalo Charters, who operates the Miss Buffalo and the Niagara Clipper during the summer with his two brothers.
Both of Hayhurst's tour boats are insured, as are Maid of the Mist's vessels, their owners said.
When the Ethan Allen capsized last fall, the victims' family members were stunned to learn that neither the state nor the Coast Guard required tour boats to carry liability insurance. The Ethan Allen did have $2 million in insurance, but the policy did not include accidents that happened on the water, leaving survivors with no one to sue to cover funerals and other costs.
"We felt after this incident occurring in October that a minimum amount of insurance was certainly something that was necessary to protect the boat-going public," said Paul J. Laudato, chief counsel for the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
Boat operators were prepared for intensified scrutiny of their industry and new regulations after the Ethan Allen tragedy - and many say they welcome Pataki's call for stricter safety regulations.
But the insurance coverage mandate has rattled operators of both landlocked and Coast Guard-inspected vessels.
"I've been talking to a lot of my clients and talking to a lot of legislators," said Peter Robinson, a boating insurance agent in Hudson Falls.
"They don't want to have to pay so much insurance to operate," he said.
"I think it's going to put a lot of people out of business," said Willman, who expects that the insurance bill on his 8-year-old boat will be at least three times higher. "It's a clear-cut case of discrimination."
Some tour operators overseen by the Coast Guard think they, too, will be affected eventually.
"I don't think we're more than a year or two away from some significant Coast Guard regulations that are going to basically say the same thing," said Rick Deegan, who operates the Dragon Lady off Grand Island.
Most tour boats, whether registered with the state or the Coast Guard, already are insured, according to a state boating trade group.
But operators of tour boats in the state's landlocked lakes, such as Chautauqua, say the governor has failed to consider the economic impact of his minimum insurance requirements, which would be $10 million per vessel for boats with more than 100 passengers.
Willman said insurance requirements are especially tough on seasonal businesses such as his where every day and dollar counts. "We're not living in Florida or a Southern area where they can boat 12 months a year," Willman said. "We get eight to 12 weeks, and we're over and done with."
Already facing higher costs, including fuel, a big increase in insurance premiums would be unaffordable for companies operating on tight margins, the boaters said.
"It's a bit of an overkill," said Jim Loutzenhiser, president of Chautauqua Lake Historic Vessels, which runs the Chautauqua Belle steam paddle wheel and a chain ferry on the lake. Nonprofit groups such as his would be especially hard-hit, he said.
"To see the Belle not run would be a real tragedy," said Loutzenhiser, who gets no pay when he captains the 120-passenger boat for summer campers and church groups.
All of the governor's proposed requirements, Laudato said, are aimed at passenger safety.
"They get on these vessels assuming they will be safe, and if there is an accident, there must be a way to address any injuries or property damage that results from the accident," he said.
But Hayhurst questioned whether the added insurance costs could actually prove to be dangerous.
"Putting some onerous cost on a boat operator may have a negative effect on safety," Hayhurst said. "Somewhere, he's got to save $10,000 to make up for that. Is he going to take it out of cutting corners on safety?"
The governor's bill has already been greeted with some concern in the State Legislature.
"I think we have to moderate it somewhat," said State Sen. Betty Little, a Republican who represents the Lake George area. She said that there needs to be a balance to protect the public while not forcing boat operators to shut down.
Little submitted a bill last month that would require passenger vessels on state-regulated waters to have a minimum of $1 million worth of insurance coverage.
"You ride a boat and you ought to be confident they have insurance," she said.
Little said the state probably could require all boats - including those regulated by the Coast Guard - to have insurance. But state regulation of those boats would be difficult, she said.
Beyond new insurance mandates, the governor's bill also would:
• Require a means of communications on each tour boat.
• Require an approved emergency plan that would include notifying emergency personnel on shore about an accident.
• Outlaw operation of a vessel with fewer crew members than specified.
• Require at least two exits per deck for boats carrying 20 or more passengers.
The new bill follows legislation Pataki submitted last fall that would require operators to undergo an immediate chemical test for drugs or alcohol after an accident in which passengers are killed or severely injured.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Undercurrent of inequity roils regulatory waters as state seeks to elevate safety on passenger vesselsBy TOM PRECIOUS and MAKI BECKER News Staff Reporters3/13/2006
Charles Lewis/Buffalo NewsRick Deegan, who operates the Dragon Lady tour boat off Grand Island, expects that his business is probably "a year or two away" from being subject to Coast Guard regulations similiar to those the state wants to impose onlandlocked lake boats.
When the Ethan Allen tour boat capsized on Lake George last October, killing 20 elderly passengers, the state's tour boat owners knew they soon would face new regulations.
As promised, Gov. George E. Pataki recently proposed legislation to toughen passenger boat safety standards and establish minimum insurance requirements.
But because of a quirk in maritime law, the standards can only apply to tour boats operated on landlocked bodies of water within the state.
So Rick Willman, who owns the Summer Wind, a 130-passenger party boat on Chautauqua Lake, soon may have to pay triple his current insurance premium to continue to operate his business.
But the Miss Buffalo in the Erie Basin Marina and the world-famous Maid of the Mist at the base of Niagara Falls won't see any rule changes.
The reason: Vessels on waters that in some way, however remotely, connect to the Great Lakes or the Atlantic Ocean are policed by the Coast Guard.
"It's just that we can get to the ocean, and they can't," said Michael R. Hayhurst, president of Buffalo Charters, who operates the Miss Buffalo and the Niagara Clipper during the summer with his two brothers.
Both of Hayhurst's tour boats are insured, as are Maid of the Mist's vessels, their owners said.
When the Ethan Allen capsized last fall, the victims' family members were stunned to learn that neither the state nor the Coast Guard required tour boats to carry liability insurance. The Ethan Allen did have $2 million in insurance, but the policy did not include accidents that happened on the water, leaving survivors with no one to sue to cover funerals and other costs.
"We felt after this incident occurring in October that a minimum amount of insurance was certainly something that was necessary to protect the boat-going public," said Paul J. Laudato, chief counsel for the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
Boat operators were prepared for intensified scrutiny of their industry and new regulations after the Ethan Allen tragedy - and many say they welcome Pataki's call for stricter safety regulations.
But the insurance coverage mandate has rattled operators of both landlocked and Coast Guard-inspected vessels.
"I've been talking to a lot of my clients and talking to a lot of legislators," said Peter Robinson, a boating insurance agent in Hudson Falls.
"They don't want to have to pay so much insurance to operate," he said.
"I think it's going to put a lot of people out of business," said Willman, who expects that the insurance bill on his 8-year-old boat will be at least three times higher. "It's a clear-cut case of discrimination."
Some tour operators overseen by the Coast Guard think they, too, will be affected eventually.
"I don't think we're more than a year or two away from some significant Coast Guard regulations that are going to basically say the same thing," said Rick Deegan, who operates the Dragon Lady off Grand Island.
Most tour boats, whether registered with the state or the Coast Guard, already are insured, according to a state boating trade group.
But operators of tour boats in the state's landlocked lakes, such as Chautauqua, say the governor has failed to consider the economic impact of his minimum insurance requirements, which would be $10 million per vessel for boats with more than 100 passengers.
Willman said insurance requirements are especially tough on seasonal businesses such as his where every day and dollar counts. "We're not living in Florida or a Southern area where they can boat 12 months a year," Willman said. "We get eight to 12 weeks, and we're over and done with."
Already facing higher costs, including fuel, a big increase in insurance premiums would be unaffordable for companies operating on tight margins, the boaters said.
"It's a bit of an overkill," said Jim Loutzenhiser, president of Chautauqua Lake Historic Vessels, which runs the Chautauqua Belle steam paddle wheel and a chain ferry on the lake. Nonprofit groups such as his would be especially hard-hit, he said.
"To see the Belle not run would be a real tragedy," said Loutzenhiser, who gets no pay when he captains the 120-passenger boat for summer campers and church groups.
All of the governor's proposed requirements, Laudato said, are aimed at passenger safety.
"They get on these vessels assuming they will be safe, and if there is an accident, there must be a way to address any injuries or property damage that results from the accident," he said.
But Hayhurst questioned whether the added insurance costs could actually prove to be dangerous.
"Putting some onerous cost on a boat operator may have a negative effect on safety," Hayhurst said. "Somewhere, he's got to save $10,000 to make up for that. Is he going to take it out of cutting corners on safety?"
The governor's bill has already been greeted with some concern in the State Legislature.
"I think we have to moderate it somewhat," said State Sen. Betty Little, a Republican who represents the Lake George area. She said that there needs to be a balance to protect the public while not forcing boat operators to shut down.
Little submitted a bill last month that would require passenger vessels on state-regulated waters to have a minimum of $1 million worth of insurance coverage.
"You ride a boat and you ought to be confident they have insurance," she said.
Little said the state probably could require all boats - including those regulated by the Coast Guard - to have insurance. But state regulation of those boats would be difficult, she said.
Beyond new insurance mandates, the governor's bill also would:
• Require a means of communications on each tour boat.
• Require an approved emergency plan that would include notifying emergency personnel on shore about an accident.
• Outlaw operation of a vessel with fewer crew members than specified.
• Require at least two exits per deck for boats carrying 20 or more passengers.
The new bill follows legislation Pataki submitted last fall that would require operators to undergo an immediate chemical test for drugs or alcohol after an accident in which passengers are killed or severely injured.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Owning multiple homes is new trend
Diane Pyshos collects houses.At the moment, she and her husband, Bill McCollom, have three. They and their son, Thomas, manage to live in all of them, though daily life can be complicated by errant clothing or grocery miscalculations."One house has five mustards and the other houses don't have any," she joked. "You forget which house you're supposed to go to."Not that she's complaining. The couple loves their self-described schizophrenic existence, which revolves around two homes in Michigan (a mere 5 miles from one another) and one in the Bucktown neighborhood in Chicago. They're thinking about a fourth in Arizona.They may be on to something. Thanks to a confluence of demographic and economic factors, owning two homes is verging on the commonplace, according to gatherers of real estate data. And now, some numbers crunchers are starting to scrutinize the ranks of owners of three or more homes."We call them 'supersplitters,"' said Bill Jacobs, a demographic analyst in Seattle.Jacobs' firm studied second-home ownership for WCI Communities. The real estate development company in Bonita Springs, Fla., coined the term "splitters" to differentiate an emerging profile of second-home owners from the more traditional snowbirds, who tend to divide their time seasonally.Splitters, on the other hand, are likely to bounce between homes, relatively speaking. And supersplitters, with three or more homes, elevate that practice into an art form.Their numbers are nearly impossible to peg. Public property records and lenders' data don't tally how many properties a buyer owns or even how the homes are used. Some third properties are strictly investments, others are for personal use and still others are a blend of both.In addition, a revival of interest in time-shares and the creation of so-called fractional ownership of vacation properties have put the term "our third place" on many more peoples' lips.Clearly, these changes have the potential to move multiple-home ownership beyond the confines of the super-rich — who long have trod the Newport, R.I.-to-Palm Beach, Fla.-to-Palm Springs, Calif. circuit — and into the ranks of the "economically comfortable."They're out there. "Income is tilting toward the top end of the scale," said Peter Francese, a demographer in Exeter, N.H., who said that if third-home ownership isn't entirely mainstream, it's getting closer."One-fifth of all households take home 50 percent of all the money in this country," he said. "So, multiple homeowners might have a ski condo in the winter, a summer place on a lake and a regular house that they live in the rest of the time. It's a small segment, but significant."In WCI's national study of 1,743 homeowners, 20 percent own a primary residence and second home, and 9 percent — the supersplitters — own a primary residence and at least two second homes."We were surprised at the incidence rate," he said. "It was higher than anyone expected."The National Association of Realtors estimated about a year ago that there were about 44 million second homes in the United States — about 7 million private vacation homes and 37 million investment units.But the definitions can be a confusing tangle: The NAR also estimated that 10 percent of those investment buyers at least intend to use their second properties at some point for recreational purposes.The trade group said that in its study of people who bought second homes in 2004, 38 percent said it was very likely they'd purchase another home within two years."It's absolutely a real phenomenon," said Francese, a trends analyst for Ogilvy & Mather and the founder of American Demographics magazine. "There are a lot of reasons why it's happening."Possibly the biggest driver of third-home ownership has been record-low mortgage-interest rates, coupled with a growing affinity for real estate as a long-term investment, he said."An awful lot of people are skittish about the stock market, but real estate, that's viewed in the general public as a sure thing," Francese said.Then there's the bumper crop of baby boomers who not only are in their peak earning years, but who also might be flush with equity from the primary residences they bought as long as three decades ago, and they're looking for a place to put it. They're also at an age when vacation homes may also double as retirement destinations.Technology plays a role, too. Expanded air routes have put more vacation destinations within reach, and telecommuting — to keep in touch with the office, if not to work full- or part-time — makes it possible to stretch regular weekends at a getaway spot into long weekends, or more.Like Pyshos and McCollum, supersplitters are likely to have at least one of their three or more homes within easy driving distance, the WCI research said.Another familiar arrangement would be the suburban home, a condo downtown and a third place at a lakeside area within a few hours' drive.Market researcher Brooke Warrick said the notion of "escape" is one of the principal motivators for second-home purchases.Warrick, whose California firm, American Lives, studies consumer behavior for the real estate industry, said he's skeptical of the growth potential of third-home ownership."I think there's going to be a backlash, in terms of second and third homes," he said. "People are going to understand that owning these things is a lot of work."But others say the real-estate industry recognizes the potential for such disenchantment and is trying to build in support services to shoulder the maintenance burden.Holly Anthony said she regularly calls on services in Florida that cater to the maintenance needs of out-of-towners."You can hire them to go check on your place every month or every two weeks," she said. "We do our (house) cleaning through them, and we have them open the place up before we get there."Such service comes at a price, of course, though it's one that many in the housing industry say consumers are willing to pay."The biggest and most valuable commodity in (the baby boomer population) is time," agreed John McIlwain, senior fellow for housing at the Urban Land Institute in Washington. "People are all the time spending money in order to have more time."He expects the second-home market to remain solid for another decade, but he too, said third homes are likely to remain but one of many niches that have emerged in housing in recent years. For one thing, he said, the federal tax structure permits deducting mortgage interest only for homes No. 1 and No. 2 if they're strictly for private use."You're paying full freight for that third house," he said.But Pyshos said that, as a mortgage broker, she sees consumers with a home-buying habit that goes beyond dollars and cents. In her case, that place in Arizona — potentially Home No. 4 — stays in her mind."You would think, why don't they just buy a time-share? But it's an addiction. There's something about the collecting of houses."It's not a status thing for us. We're just house people. We like to collect houses."
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Diane Pyshos collects houses.At the moment, she and her husband, Bill McCollom, have three. They and their son, Thomas, manage to live in all of them, though daily life can be complicated by errant clothing or grocery miscalculations."One house has five mustards and the other houses don't have any," she joked. "You forget which house you're supposed to go to."Not that she's complaining. The couple loves their self-described schizophrenic existence, which revolves around two homes in Michigan (a mere 5 miles from one another) and one in the Bucktown neighborhood in Chicago. They're thinking about a fourth in Arizona.They may be on to something. Thanks to a confluence of demographic and economic factors, owning two homes is verging on the commonplace, according to gatherers of real estate data. And now, some numbers crunchers are starting to scrutinize the ranks of owners of three or more homes."We call them 'supersplitters,"' said Bill Jacobs, a demographic analyst in Seattle.Jacobs' firm studied second-home ownership for WCI Communities. The real estate development company in Bonita Springs, Fla., coined the term "splitters" to differentiate an emerging profile of second-home owners from the more traditional snowbirds, who tend to divide their time seasonally.Splitters, on the other hand, are likely to bounce between homes, relatively speaking. And supersplitters, with three or more homes, elevate that practice into an art form.Their numbers are nearly impossible to peg. Public property records and lenders' data don't tally how many properties a buyer owns or even how the homes are used. Some third properties are strictly investments, others are for personal use and still others are a blend of both.In addition, a revival of interest in time-shares and the creation of so-called fractional ownership of vacation properties have put the term "our third place" on many more peoples' lips.Clearly, these changes have the potential to move multiple-home ownership beyond the confines of the super-rich — who long have trod the Newport, R.I.-to-Palm Beach, Fla.-to-Palm Springs, Calif. circuit — and into the ranks of the "economically comfortable."They're out there. "Income is tilting toward the top end of the scale," said Peter Francese, a demographer in Exeter, N.H., who said that if third-home ownership isn't entirely mainstream, it's getting closer."One-fifth of all households take home 50 percent of all the money in this country," he said. "So, multiple homeowners might have a ski condo in the winter, a summer place on a lake and a regular house that they live in the rest of the time. It's a small segment, but significant."In WCI's national study of 1,743 homeowners, 20 percent own a primary residence and second home, and 9 percent — the supersplitters — own a primary residence and at least two second homes."We were surprised at the incidence rate," he said. "It was higher than anyone expected."The National Association of Realtors estimated about a year ago that there were about 44 million second homes in the United States — about 7 million private vacation homes and 37 million investment units.But the definitions can be a confusing tangle: The NAR also estimated that 10 percent of those investment buyers at least intend to use their second properties at some point for recreational purposes.The trade group said that in its study of people who bought second homes in 2004, 38 percent said it was very likely they'd purchase another home within two years."It's absolutely a real phenomenon," said Francese, a trends analyst for Ogilvy & Mather and the founder of American Demographics magazine. "There are a lot of reasons why it's happening."Possibly the biggest driver of third-home ownership has been record-low mortgage-interest rates, coupled with a growing affinity for real estate as a long-term investment, he said."An awful lot of people are skittish about the stock market, but real estate, that's viewed in the general public as a sure thing," Francese said.Then there's the bumper crop of baby boomers who not only are in their peak earning years, but who also might be flush with equity from the primary residences they bought as long as three decades ago, and they're looking for a place to put it. They're also at an age when vacation homes may also double as retirement destinations.Technology plays a role, too. Expanded air routes have put more vacation destinations within reach, and telecommuting — to keep in touch with the office, if not to work full- or part-time — makes it possible to stretch regular weekends at a getaway spot into long weekends, or more.Like Pyshos and McCollum, supersplitters are likely to have at least one of their three or more homes within easy driving distance, the WCI research said.Another familiar arrangement would be the suburban home, a condo downtown and a third place at a lakeside area within a few hours' drive.Market researcher Brooke Warrick said the notion of "escape" is one of the principal motivators for second-home purchases.Warrick, whose California firm, American Lives, studies consumer behavior for the real estate industry, said he's skeptical of the growth potential of third-home ownership."I think there's going to be a backlash, in terms of second and third homes," he said. "People are going to understand that owning these things is a lot of work."But others say the real-estate industry recognizes the potential for such disenchantment and is trying to build in support services to shoulder the maintenance burden.Holly Anthony said she regularly calls on services in Florida that cater to the maintenance needs of out-of-towners."You can hire them to go check on your place every month or every two weeks," she said. "We do our (house) cleaning through them, and we have them open the place up before we get there."Such service comes at a price, of course, though it's one that many in the housing industry say consumers are willing to pay."The biggest and most valuable commodity in (the baby boomer population) is time," agreed John McIlwain, senior fellow for housing at the Urban Land Institute in Washington. "People are all the time spending money in order to have more time."He expects the second-home market to remain solid for another decade, but he too, said third homes are likely to remain but one of many niches that have emerged in housing in recent years. For one thing, he said, the federal tax structure permits deducting mortgage interest only for homes No. 1 and No. 2 if they're strictly for private use."You're paying full freight for that third house," he said.But Pyshos said that, as a mortgage broker, she sees consumers with a home-buying habit that goes beyond dollars and cents. In her case, that place in Arizona — potentially Home No. 4 — stays in her mind."You would think, why don't they just buy a time-share? But it's an addiction. There's something about the collecting of houses."It's not a status thing for us. We're just house people. We like to collect houses."
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Fishing LineBy WILL ELLIOTT 3/9/2006
Show start
Anglers have many attractions to enjoy during the WNY Sport and Travel Expo beginning at noon today in the Agri-Center and other buildings at the Erie County Fairgrounds in Hamburg.
Capt. Doug Stein of Doug's Charters begins the slate of speakers with a "Success with Walleye" seminar at 1 p.m. John Shirhal, with Ranger Boats, discusses "Erie Smallmouth Bass" at 2 p.m. Dan Armitage does a "Success with Steelhead" seminar at 4 p.m.
Armitage may have some firsthand information about area steelies before the Expo ends. He's planning to fish a popular Lake Erie feeder on Friday and should have some good reports during seminars set for Saturday and Sunday.
For a listing of all fishing-related talks and exhibit information, go to: www.sportandtravelexpo.com.Ice outings
Lake Simcoe - Cooks Bay ice holds well on both sides of the bay, and Keswick-area anglers have hit into bigger fish this past week. Pefferlaw River/Port Bolster-area operators have huts out over 30-foot depths on ice 21/2 to 3 feet thick. Bigger perch and a one-keeper-for-two-caught ratio held in recent days.
Operators must remove their huts at Simcoe by midnight Wednesday, but a few huts are still open at Randy's (705) 437-2989 and Hales (905) 955-1104.
Chautauqua Lake - Four- to 6-inch ice coated the north basin last weekend, and walleye anglers from Long Point to Mayville ventured out to 30-foot depths to jig for walleyes. "Most of them were short fish (under the 18-inch length limit)," said Rich Davenport, a regular whenever good ice allows access.
Davenport also noted better perch catches with mousy grubs sent down 30 feet. Perch around the Mayville shallows are mainly a run of runts. A few good 'gills began showing in bays east of Dewittville. Check with Lonny Stebbins at Happy Hooker Bait & Tackle (763-5815) or other reliable area sources before heading to Chautauqua this weekend.
Silver Lake - Ice was iffy in some areas. There was fair access at the south end but not thick ice. Bluegills began hitting in the shallows, and bigger perch hold at 20-foot depths and greater. Check with Ted Newman at Mack's Boat Livery at (585) 237-5983 before taking a shine to Silver.Niagara River
Ice surfaces on Lake Erie cleared waters flowing into the lower Niagara River and drifters are having fun with steelies and lakers. Sacks work best on drift rigs, but some boaters have done well with Kwikfish, especially on lake trout.
A-1 Bait & Tackle holds its Steelhead Tournament from sunrise to 1 p.m. Saturday out of Lewiston Landing. Entrants pay a $20 fee to compete for top prizes awarded steelies taken from the lower river, Lake Ontario and its tributaries. For details, call 754-1895.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Show start
Anglers have many attractions to enjoy during the WNY Sport and Travel Expo beginning at noon today in the Agri-Center and other buildings at the Erie County Fairgrounds in Hamburg.
Capt. Doug Stein of Doug's Charters begins the slate of speakers with a "Success with Walleye" seminar at 1 p.m. John Shirhal, with Ranger Boats, discusses "Erie Smallmouth Bass" at 2 p.m. Dan Armitage does a "Success with Steelhead" seminar at 4 p.m.
Armitage may have some firsthand information about area steelies before the Expo ends. He's planning to fish a popular Lake Erie feeder on Friday and should have some good reports during seminars set for Saturday and Sunday.
For a listing of all fishing-related talks and exhibit information, go to: www.sportandtravelexpo.com.Ice outings
Lake Simcoe - Cooks Bay ice holds well on both sides of the bay, and Keswick-area anglers have hit into bigger fish this past week. Pefferlaw River/Port Bolster-area operators have huts out over 30-foot depths on ice 21/2 to 3 feet thick. Bigger perch and a one-keeper-for-two-caught ratio held in recent days.
Operators must remove their huts at Simcoe by midnight Wednesday, but a few huts are still open at Randy's (705) 437-2989 and Hales (905) 955-1104.
Chautauqua Lake - Four- to 6-inch ice coated the north basin last weekend, and walleye anglers from Long Point to Mayville ventured out to 30-foot depths to jig for walleyes. "Most of them were short fish (under the 18-inch length limit)," said Rich Davenport, a regular whenever good ice allows access.
Davenport also noted better perch catches with mousy grubs sent down 30 feet. Perch around the Mayville shallows are mainly a run of runts. A few good 'gills began showing in bays east of Dewittville. Check with Lonny Stebbins at Happy Hooker Bait & Tackle (763-5815) or other reliable area sources before heading to Chautauqua this weekend.
Silver Lake - Ice was iffy in some areas. There was fair access at the south end but not thick ice. Bluegills began hitting in the shallows, and bigger perch hold at 20-foot depths and greater. Check with Ted Newman at Mack's Boat Livery at (585) 237-5983 before taking a shine to Silver.Niagara River
Ice surfaces on Lake Erie cleared waters flowing into the lower Niagara River and drifters are having fun with steelies and lakers. Sacks work best on drift rigs, but some boaters have done well with Kwikfish, especially on lake trout.
A-1 Bait & Tackle holds its Steelhead Tournament from sunrise to 1 p.m. Saturday out of Lewiston Landing. Entrants pay a $20 fee to compete for top prizes awarded steelies taken from the lower river, Lake Ontario and its tributaries. For details, call 754-1895.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Lakewood NY, Lake Chautauqua Hammers Out Dock Details
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Chautauqua County Christmas Farm Owner Struggles With Illness
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Homeowners' Tax Burden Highest in Philadelphia Area
Home Real Estate News
Author: Beth Bresnahan
Publishing date: 03/06/06
RISMEDIA, March 7 — According to a 2005 Runzheimer analysis, people working in the Philadelphia area will experience the most prevalent tax burden. As an example, a family of four with an annual income of $75,000 can expect to bequeath an average of $19,992, or 26.7% of total income, annually toward taxes after all personal exemptions and allowable deductions have been considered.
Other high tax areas include Cleveland, where the average suburban family pays $19,579 in taxes, or 26.1% of income; New York with a tax burden of $18,798, or 25.1%; and Chicago at $18,787, or 25%. In contrast, areas that had the least tax burden include Honolulu, Hawaii, with a tax liability of $11,973, or 16%; Casper, Wyoming, with $13,023, or 17.4%; and Anchorage, Alaska with $13,454, or 17.9%. The lack of state income tax for both Wyoming and Alaska contribute to the fact that these states remain less affected by tax burdens. A cross correlation with a parallel study done in 2000 by Runzheimer International indicates that there may be hope on the horizon for those who prefer keep their hard earned dollars in their pockets, as opposed to forwarding that money on to Uncle Sam. On average, the percentage of tax dollars has decreased by almost 1% among the selected cities in this study between 2000 and 2005. The cities that were impacted the most in those five years were Honolulu, HI, with a decrease of 5.2%, and Providence RI, with a decrease of 3.3% in total income being diverted to taxes. In the above table, tax liability has been determined for the homeowner. Areas researched are suburban communities surrounding each of the metropolitan areas where families earning $75,000 annual income reside. A 2,500 square foot home with approximately 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and 8 total rooms is used in all locations. Mortgage costs are based on a 20% down payment and 6.25% interest for 30 years. Real Estate Tax: Each community’s real estate taxing formula, based on rate of assessment and percent of market value subject to assessment, has been applied to a 2,500 square foot, 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home in the selected cities listed above. Sales Tax: Based upon the same volume of identical goods & services purchased annually by a $75,000 family of four. The cost of these goods & services will vary by location. Both state and local sales taxes have been calculated. Federal Tax: Federal tax is based upon the most current tax formulas. A passive income and miscellaneous deduction amount are used in our calculation. Passive income is from savings interest, dividends, capital gains, etc. The amount for our example is $4,928. The miscellaneous amount for deductions is for charitable contributions and financing expenses. The amount is $1,555. Other deductions are for the mortgage interest, real estate taxes, state and local tax and ad valorem taxes allowed under current federal law. Taxes were calculated twice. First, using itemized deductions and second, using standard deductions. The results are the calculations with the most favorable liability to the taxpayer. RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Home Real Estate News
Author: Beth Bresnahan
Publishing date: 03/06/06
RISMEDIA, March 7 — According to a 2005 Runzheimer analysis, people working in the Philadelphia area will experience the most prevalent tax burden. As an example, a family of four with an annual income of $75,000 can expect to bequeath an average of $19,992, or 26.7% of total income, annually toward taxes after all personal exemptions and allowable deductions have been considered.
Other high tax areas include Cleveland, where the average suburban family pays $19,579 in taxes, or 26.1% of income; New York with a tax burden of $18,798, or 25.1%; and Chicago at $18,787, or 25%. In contrast, areas that had the least tax burden include Honolulu, Hawaii, with a tax liability of $11,973, or 16%; Casper, Wyoming, with $13,023, or 17.4%; and Anchorage, Alaska with $13,454, or 17.9%. The lack of state income tax for both Wyoming and Alaska contribute to the fact that these states remain less affected by tax burdens. A cross correlation with a parallel study done in 2000 by Runzheimer International indicates that there may be hope on the horizon for those who prefer keep their hard earned dollars in their pockets, as opposed to forwarding that money on to Uncle Sam. On average, the percentage of tax dollars has decreased by almost 1% among the selected cities in this study between 2000 and 2005. The cities that were impacted the most in those five years were Honolulu, HI, with a decrease of 5.2%, and Providence RI, with a decrease of 3.3% in total income being diverted to taxes. In the above table, tax liability has been determined for the homeowner. Areas researched are suburban communities surrounding each of the metropolitan areas where families earning $75,000 annual income reside. A 2,500 square foot home with approximately 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and 8 total rooms is used in all locations. Mortgage costs are based on a 20% down payment and 6.25% interest for 30 years. Real Estate Tax: Each community’s real estate taxing formula, based on rate of assessment and percent of market value subject to assessment, has been applied to a 2,500 square foot, 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home in the selected cities listed above. Sales Tax: Based upon the same volume of identical goods & services purchased annually by a $75,000 family of four. The cost of these goods & services will vary by location. Both state and local sales taxes have been calculated. Federal Tax: Federal tax is based upon the most current tax formulas. A passive income and miscellaneous deduction amount are used in our calculation. Passive income is from savings interest, dividends, capital gains, etc. The amount for our example is $4,928. The miscellaneous amount for deductions is for charitable contributions and financing expenses. The amount is $1,555. Other deductions are for the mortgage interest, real estate taxes, state and local tax and ad valorem taxes allowed under current federal law. Taxes were calculated twice. First, using itemized deductions and second, using standard deductions. The results are the calculations with the most favorable liability to the taxpayer. RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Friday, March 03, 2006
Haunted Places in Chautauqua County New York
Feel free to browse the Haunted Archives. The following accounts are provided by The Shadowlands. JND infowire does not neccesarily support the existence of ghosts or hauntings. The following stories should be considered folk tales and nothing more. Unless it is a public place do not visit the listed properties without first contacting the owner.
Allegany - Ski Wing - Been sightings of people crossing the paths, wearing ski equipment; children crying, a little boy drowned in the pond; your car automatically stalls; and at night u look out of your rear view mirror and you see faces everywhere around you.
Bemus Point - Casino - The Casino is a teen dance place. The Ghost that haunts it is known as Jordan Basile, a young chef there who died when the oven blew up. He was around the age of 15. Now when they hold dances, food mysteriously disappears and people often trip and fall when nothing was in their path. Jordan Basile is seen at the new oven on August 16th (the date of his death) every 2 years making what appears to be lobster, which was his specialty.
Clymer - Jaquin’s Pond - Jaquin’s Pond is a swamp with a few narrow dirt roads through the woods. There are several stories about this spooky area. There are three bridges supposedly haunted by the ghost of a school bus driver named George, who committed suicide after a boy was killed in an accident involving his bus; if you stop on the third bridge and say his name three times, your car doors will lock and he will appear (there are several variations). The road also forks, diverging into the “Light Path” and the “Dark Path”. Apparently the Dark Path has been the site of more than one teenage suicide. Also surrounding the area are several old stone buildings which,may possibily have been used to be some kind of waterworks, now abandoned.
Dewittville - Poor House Cemetery - The Alms House/Poor Farm was located in Dewittville, NY. The cemetery is located on a portion of this property. The records date from 1833 - 1918. Grave markers were not used until 1869. The farm was used to house the poverty stricken people and the barn is the most haunted but numerous sightings of glowing orbs hearing weird noise’s in the wood’s.
Ellicottville - Hencoop Schoolhouse/ Cemetery - An old school house now an occupied house is said to have young children haunting it late at night in the downstairs area. It is also said that children are standing by your bed when you awake at night. Just down the road there is a cemetery with unexplained mists and a haunted woodland area behind it. The graveyard dates back to the 1850’s and contains many children’s graves. Witnesses have seen images in the woods just to the back right of the cemetery. A small clearing shows many signs of paranormal activities at night time.
Frewsburg - Grunsey Hollow Cemetery - The cemetery is haunted by a young lady who was stoned to death in the 1800’s and buried in this cemetery. There are many children buried in the cemetery. People have seen graves glow, glowing balls of light, animals hung on the cross, and heard children laughing and playing.
Jamestown - Hollen Beck Cemetery - This Cemetery is very old.1700-1800s. There have been reports of a headless horseman chasing young girls. Animal bones lying around. Calls for help. Weird noises like someone knocking on a coffin. Babies crying. Children laughing. And a kick ball rolling around. Many of the people that died here were children of large families. The cemetery is very small only containing about 15 gravestones. There has also been spotted of what appears to be a fire further off in the woods.
Jamestown - Jefferson Middle School - in 1950’s a girl died in this building! She was looking for her little brother and someone had killed her. Know one knows who. Many kids who attend this school around 1995 and up say they have seen the little girl in a white dress wandering around the halls saying, “bobby, where are you!!” Also they see a man with no head in this long dark black coat into class rooms and then things fall and big booms with out a reason.
Jamestown - Little Theater - The Little Theater seems to be haunted by many ghosts. In the shoe room, where they keep all the shoes for performances, the door will slam shut and lock when a person goes in there. The temperature will also drop significantly. Other stories have been told about a male ghost in the boiler room and practice room. People have even reported seeing a man on stage late at night, often playing pranks on people by moving things to where they should not be. He has supposedly spoken to children, luring them across the stage when unattended by their parents.
Mayville - Chautauqua Lake Central School - During the Fall of 2001 the Chautauqua Lake football team had a game. And during the game one of the players had gotten hit really hard and never told his coach anything. So after the game the team went into the locker room and everyone had left. But the kid that got hit and he started to have a seizer and died shortly after. Whenever a sporting event is over with you can see his shadow on the field/court. Sometimes in the locker room you can hear him pounding on the locker screaming HELP ME!
Westfield - McClurg Mansion - The spirits of maids are know to haunt this mansion. Mr. William Steward lived here once. In the basement there is axes and other weapons. A 4th grade class took a trip to see the Mansion and 2 boys had an encounter with a spirit. It was a white shadow. They said it looked like a girl in there mid 20’s. She was in the corner crying and they went over to see who it was and nobody was there. The spirit still haunts the McClurg Mansion and the 4th grade classes still go there for a field trip.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Feel free to browse the Haunted Archives. The following accounts are provided by The Shadowlands. JND infowire does not neccesarily support the existence of ghosts or hauntings. The following stories should be considered folk tales and nothing more. Unless it is a public place do not visit the listed properties without first contacting the owner.
Allegany - Ski Wing - Been sightings of people crossing the paths, wearing ski equipment; children crying, a little boy drowned in the pond; your car automatically stalls; and at night u look out of your rear view mirror and you see faces everywhere around you.
Bemus Point - Casino - The Casino is a teen dance place. The Ghost that haunts it is known as Jordan Basile, a young chef there who died when the oven blew up. He was around the age of 15. Now when they hold dances, food mysteriously disappears and people often trip and fall when nothing was in their path. Jordan Basile is seen at the new oven on August 16th (the date of his death) every 2 years making what appears to be lobster, which was his specialty.
Clymer - Jaquin’s Pond - Jaquin’s Pond is a swamp with a few narrow dirt roads through the woods. There are several stories about this spooky area. There are three bridges supposedly haunted by the ghost of a school bus driver named George, who committed suicide after a boy was killed in an accident involving his bus; if you stop on the third bridge and say his name three times, your car doors will lock and he will appear (there are several variations). The road also forks, diverging into the “Light Path” and the “Dark Path”. Apparently the Dark Path has been the site of more than one teenage suicide. Also surrounding the area are several old stone buildings which,may possibily have been used to be some kind of waterworks, now abandoned.
Dewittville - Poor House Cemetery - The Alms House/Poor Farm was located in Dewittville, NY. The cemetery is located on a portion of this property. The records date from 1833 - 1918. Grave markers were not used until 1869. The farm was used to house the poverty stricken people and the barn is the most haunted but numerous sightings of glowing orbs hearing weird noise’s in the wood’s.
Ellicottville - Hencoop Schoolhouse/ Cemetery - An old school house now an occupied house is said to have young children haunting it late at night in the downstairs area. It is also said that children are standing by your bed when you awake at night. Just down the road there is a cemetery with unexplained mists and a haunted woodland area behind it. The graveyard dates back to the 1850’s and contains many children’s graves. Witnesses have seen images in the woods just to the back right of the cemetery. A small clearing shows many signs of paranormal activities at night time.
Frewsburg - Grunsey Hollow Cemetery - The cemetery is haunted by a young lady who was stoned to death in the 1800’s and buried in this cemetery. There are many children buried in the cemetery. People have seen graves glow, glowing balls of light, animals hung on the cross, and heard children laughing and playing.
Jamestown - Hollen Beck Cemetery - This Cemetery is very old.1700-1800s. There have been reports of a headless horseman chasing young girls. Animal bones lying around. Calls for help. Weird noises like someone knocking on a coffin. Babies crying. Children laughing. And a kick ball rolling around. Many of the people that died here were children of large families. The cemetery is very small only containing about 15 gravestones. There has also been spotted of what appears to be a fire further off in the woods.
Jamestown - Jefferson Middle School - in 1950’s a girl died in this building! She was looking for her little brother and someone had killed her. Know one knows who. Many kids who attend this school around 1995 and up say they have seen the little girl in a white dress wandering around the halls saying, “bobby, where are you!!” Also they see a man with no head in this long dark black coat into class rooms and then things fall and big booms with out a reason.
Jamestown - Little Theater - The Little Theater seems to be haunted by many ghosts. In the shoe room, where they keep all the shoes for performances, the door will slam shut and lock when a person goes in there. The temperature will also drop significantly. Other stories have been told about a male ghost in the boiler room and practice room. People have even reported seeing a man on stage late at night, often playing pranks on people by moving things to where they should not be. He has supposedly spoken to children, luring them across the stage when unattended by their parents.
Mayville - Chautauqua Lake Central School - During the Fall of 2001 the Chautauqua Lake football team had a game. And during the game one of the players had gotten hit really hard and never told his coach anything. So after the game the team went into the locker room and everyone had left. But the kid that got hit and he started to have a seizer and died shortly after. Whenever a sporting event is over with you can see his shadow on the field/court. Sometimes in the locker room you can hear him pounding on the locker screaming HELP ME!
Westfield - McClurg Mansion - The spirits of maids are know to haunt this mansion. Mr. William Steward lived here once. In the basement there is axes and other weapons. A 4th grade class took a trip to see the Mansion and 2 boys had an encounter with a spirit. It was a white shadow. They said it looked like a girl in there mid 20’s. She was in the corner crying and they went over to see who it was and nobody was there. The spirit still haunts the McClurg Mansion and the 4th grade classes still go there for a field trip.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
New York lakes getting less ice, group says
Report links trend to global warming
Misty EdgecombStaff writer
(March 2, 2006) — From the air, western New York is covered with islands of white snow. But the large lakes that shape this region's identity remain dark spots on the landscape.
Statewide, lakes are experiencing 10 fewer days of ice coverage than in past decades. And with 2006 the second-warmest January on record in New York, ice has been particularly late this winter, disrupting winter activities such as ice fishing and snowmobiling — and worrying environmentalists.
"Old Man Winter is becoming old man warmer," said Jason Babbie of the New York Public Interest Research Group, which released a report Wednesday linking ice data to global climate change.
Each of the 15 lakes included in the analysis offered at least a half-century of measurements, as maintained by the National Snow and Ice Data Center, based at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The center works with federal scientists and keeps records from several northern states, including New York.
The New York trend mirrors changes in freezing and thawing that scientists have observed throughout the Northern Hemisphere."This is yet another body of data — all pointing in the same direction. We need to take action now," said Peter Bauer of the Resident's Committee to Protect the Adirondacks.
About half of the lakes included in the analysis are located in the Adirondacks. Others, including Chautauqua, are farther west. Geography made no difference in ice cover. It was a lake's size that predicted whether the ice lingered.
Lake Ontario and the two deepest Finger Lakes — Seneca and Cayuga — never fully freeze in modern times. But in cold years, Lake Erie, Irondequoit Bay and the smaller Finger Lakes acquire a skin of ice.
Kenton Stewart, professor emeritus at the State University College at Buffalo, has studied these western New York lakes and has found data echoing the statewide findings. However, at least 40 years of measurements are necessary to confidently identify trends and ensure that changes aren't just the result of annual variations in weather, he said. Most of the measurements for local lakes go back no longer than 10 years.
Stewart was among the authors of an international study published in Science magazine in 2002 that was key to establishing seasonal ice cover on lakes as a means of measuring global climate change in places far from any glaciers.
Seasonal ice has been waning since the 16th century, with faster declines since about 1850, the study found. That translates to air temperatures rising by 2 degrees Fahrenheit every 100 years, the study said.
But beyond simply serving as a warning of climate changes to come, the loss of ice is already affecting New Yorkers, said Gary Coons, an ice fisherman from Buffalo.
"I haven't been out this year at all," said Coons, a member of Trout Unlimited.Abut 2.3 million Americans ice-fish on frozen lakes. Local fishing lore predicts that good ice cover, and thus, colder water, will ensure healthy populations of smelt and minnows — the species that popular sport fish such as salmon and trout rely upon for food, Coons said.
And traditionally, Native Americans have relied upon the ice, which provides winter travel routes for the wildlife they hunt and provides access to tribally owned islands in the St. Lawrence River, said Neil Patterson of Sanborn, Niagara County, who runs an environment program for the Tuscarora Nation.
"There's a whole aspect of ice culture that's not necessarily out there in the public eye," Patterson said.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Report links trend to global warming
Misty EdgecombStaff writer
(March 2, 2006) — From the air, western New York is covered with islands of white snow. But the large lakes that shape this region's identity remain dark spots on the landscape.
Statewide, lakes are experiencing 10 fewer days of ice coverage than in past decades. And with 2006 the second-warmest January on record in New York, ice has been particularly late this winter, disrupting winter activities such as ice fishing and snowmobiling — and worrying environmentalists.
"Old Man Winter is becoming old man warmer," said Jason Babbie of the New York Public Interest Research Group, which released a report Wednesday linking ice data to global climate change.
Each of the 15 lakes included in the analysis offered at least a half-century of measurements, as maintained by the National Snow and Ice Data Center, based at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The center works with federal scientists and keeps records from several northern states, including New York.
The New York trend mirrors changes in freezing and thawing that scientists have observed throughout the Northern Hemisphere."This is yet another body of data — all pointing in the same direction. We need to take action now," said Peter Bauer of the Resident's Committee to Protect the Adirondacks.
About half of the lakes included in the analysis are located in the Adirondacks. Others, including Chautauqua, are farther west. Geography made no difference in ice cover. It was a lake's size that predicted whether the ice lingered.
Lake Ontario and the two deepest Finger Lakes — Seneca and Cayuga — never fully freeze in modern times. But in cold years, Lake Erie, Irondequoit Bay and the smaller Finger Lakes acquire a skin of ice.
Kenton Stewart, professor emeritus at the State University College at Buffalo, has studied these western New York lakes and has found data echoing the statewide findings. However, at least 40 years of measurements are necessary to confidently identify trends and ensure that changes aren't just the result of annual variations in weather, he said. Most of the measurements for local lakes go back no longer than 10 years.
Stewart was among the authors of an international study published in Science magazine in 2002 that was key to establishing seasonal ice cover on lakes as a means of measuring global climate change in places far from any glaciers.
Seasonal ice has been waning since the 16th century, with faster declines since about 1850, the study found. That translates to air temperatures rising by 2 degrees Fahrenheit every 100 years, the study said.
But beyond simply serving as a warning of climate changes to come, the loss of ice is already affecting New Yorkers, said Gary Coons, an ice fisherman from Buffalo.
"I haven't been out this year at all," said Coons, a member of Trout Unlimited.Abut 2.3 million Americans ice-fish on frozen lakes. Local fishing lore predicts that good ice cover, and thus, colder water, will ensure healthy populations of smelt and minnows — the species that popular sport fish such as salmon and trout rely upon for food, Coons said.
And traditionally, Native Americans have relied upon the ice, which provides winter travel routes for the wildlife they hunt and provides access to tribally owned islands in the St. Lawrence River, said Neil Patterson of Sanborn, Niagara County, who runs an environment program for the Tuscarora Nation.
"There's a whole aspect of ice culture that's not necessarily out there in the public eye," Patterson said.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
Thursday, March 02, 2006
New 55 MPH Snowmobile Speed Limit
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate and Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate and Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
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