T IMES
MID
HUDSON
Vol. 31, No. 23
3
JUNE 5 - 11, 2019
3
ONE DOLLAR
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Page 35
SERVING NEWBURGH AND NEW WINDSOR
Town
pursues
Newburgh Illuminated draws estimated 40,000
hotel
motel tax
Dancin’ in the street
By LAUREN BERG
Photos by Brian Wolfe
Grammy-nominated rapper Pardison Fontaine drew a crowd for his perfomance on Broadway during Saturday’s Newburgh Illuminated
Festival.
With a abundance of music, art,
dance, food and sun, Saturday’s seventh-
annual Newburgh Illuminated Festival
did exactly what it aimed to: Shine a
light on the good stuff that happens in
this city.
Organizers estimate that close to
40,000 people walked up and down
Broadway and Liberty Streets between
the festival’s opening at noon and the
end of the final musical performance
at 10 p.m. In 2018, over 22,000 people
spent at least part of their day at the
festival - up from just under 17,000 the
year before.
“Saturday once again proved
Newburgh Illuminated to be THE
Hudson Valley event of the year,”
said organizing committee chair, Paul
Ernenwein. “In an age of separation
of people and division of interests and
time together, Newburgh Illuminated
has truly celebrated the city’s spirit
Continued on page 5
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With the support of state senator James
Skoufis and assemblyman Jonathan
Jacobson, the town of Newburgh moved
forward at the May 29 workshop meeting
to create a new hotel motel tax.
This special legislation, if authorized
by the New York State legislature, would
allow the town to tax hotels and motels
within its jurisdiction up to five percent
of the charge on the rate of each room.
The tax would be imposed on the owner
of the facility, not the renter. This tax
would not apply to permanent residents
of a hotel or motel, someone residing
there longer for 90 consecutive days. The
tax money would go solely to the town to
reduce the tax burden on its residents,
not to the state.
“We tried a few years ago to get
the hotel motel tax. It was successful in
Woodbury and of course the county was
successful from the start…we are trying
to get this put through again. Skoufis and
Jacobsen are going to sponsor it,” said
town supervisor Gil Piaquadio.
According to the local law, a hotel
or motel is defined as “any facility
consisting of rentable units and providing
lodging on an overnight basis.” The law
states that this would include “bed and
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