JOHNSTOWN - The Fulton County Board of Supervisors on Monday continued a partial exemption for Walmart Regional Food Distribution that limits the tax burden in the city of Johnstown.
The Walmart exemption was part of an assessment rolls report, which the board approved in an 11-8 vote. The deciding weighted vote was 290-237.
The board's decision spreads the effect of the property exemption among all municipalities in the county instead of only the city of Johnstown, where the property is located.
The annual footing of assessment rolls sometimes becomes controversial, and it did this year because some supervisors said the county shouldn't absorb the bulk of the Walmart property exemption and instead shift more burden to the city of Johnstown's property taxpayers.
The center - assessed at $35 million - is in the Johnstown Industrial Park.
The report includes tax-exempt and partially exempt properties in the county. Monday's action preserves a change in apportionment that amended a 1988 Board of Supervisors resolution to exclude the value of partial "O Zone" properties - including Walmart in Johnstown -from the overall calculation of taxable property in the county.
County Administrative Officer Jon Stead said the property will receive a 50 percent tax exemption in 2010, a 25 percent exemption in 2011 and be back on the tax rolls in 2012.
Approval Monday was in doubt because Johnstown city officials have declined to approve sewer service for seven parcels related to the Walmart Supercenter project in Gloversville. The retailer says the rejection may kill the project.
Before the county board's vote Monday, town of Johnstown resident Jack Kinzie urged the board to preserve the exemption.
He urged the board not to give Johnstown city residents a "stab in the back."
"I think that is the wrong move at the wrong time now," Kinzie said. "I urge this board not to take any action today that will alienate the city of Johnstown ..."
Johnstown Mayor Sarah Slingerland said Monday before the vote that if county supervisors didn't keep the exemption, "I fail to see how that strategy will help the Walmart [supercenter] project move forward."
"We've got to do what's best for this whole county," said Broadalbin Supervisor Lee Hollenbeck, who voted for the exemption.
Johnstown Town Supervisor Roy Palmateer, who voted against continuing the tax exemption, noted his town helped the city of Johnstown with annexation of land when it wanted a "larger" industrial park in the early 1990s.
"I just wish the city of Johnstown would work with the town of Johnstown," Palmateer said.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.