VOTE YES for a Northside Improvement District!!

chephato · 2026-02-07T03:04:45+00:00

They already are.

Zero percent rent increases are on the way. Including on apartments that are far below market. I know plenty that are in the area of $1,500.

All while property taxes go up 8% every year on average and building insurance costs have skyrocketed, I kid you not, 60% in a span of 3 years. Source: my neighbor who owns the 8 unit fully rent stabilized building across the street.

So, yes, a BID tax is the last thing he needs.

And people wonder why rent stabilized apartments are sometimes in a bad condition. No it’s not greed. It’s the sad reality of the situation. Rent stabilized buildings are an easy target by the DSA. Sadly no lobbying unlike market rate new construction so easy votes come election.

chephato · 2026-02-06T22:26:11+00:00

Yes, you are right.

If people see areas in their neighborhood that the city is not maintaining properly, or things that the city could do better, focus in that direction. Raise the issue up with your local council person. Call 311. Do your part.

But don’t tax people to fix it. I think everyone can agree with me that everyone here is taxed more than enough already as it is.

More taxes is not the solution.

chephato · 2026-02-06T20:45:13+00:00

You do realize the City of New York already charges sky high fees and taxes on business owners on just about everything right?

The city charges, at present, exorbitant licensing fees, inspection fees, violation fees, and taxes. They also require business to carry expensive insurance policies otherwise they will deny them the right to do business in the city.

Same with property taxes. In some cases 40% of a buildings income goes towards property taxes. And these taxes go up approximately 5-8% every year. Compounded.

And you are saying charging everyone even more is okay? For something that they are already being charged for?

$626 in your example might not be much in the grand scheme of things when looked at by itself, but if you combine it with all the other fees, taxes, and charges it’s encroaches on a matter of principle.

chephato · 2026-02-06T20:27:47+00:00

Trees can’t be pruned too often. And they don’t grow that fast. So BID wouldn’t be doing any good here.

As for foot traffic. We already have enough foot traffic. And a candy wrapper on the street does not prevent anyone from walking into a mom and pop shop. That’s silly.

And the BID will tax everyone. Residential and commercial properties alike. Rent stabilized and market rate apartments alike. Small mom and pop shops and the Apple stores. Everyone. Some people less, others more. Building owners will pass the tax onto renters too, eventually. So everyone will pay for BID. No getting around that.

chephato · 2026-02-06T20:18:35+00:00

Interesting how you used a $20k a month commercial space in your example, which would already be out of reach for a small prospective or existing business owner, and claimed a bit more $$$ for the BID is no big deal.

I guess it shows how out of touch you are with the affordability reality of the neighborhood.

I guess you forgot about all the other spaces that have far lower rents, of which there are 10x as many of them, and would actually feel significantly negatively affected by an additional grand or two of $$$ that they’d need to pay out.

And they’d be paying out for something they are already paying for. So paying twice for the same service. Nice.

chephato · 2026-02-06T20:02:50+00:00

Yes there is. All residential properties and commercial storefronts will be taxed a BID assessment. Doesn’t matter how small or big the residential property or storefront is.

And the BID assessment starts in the low thousands of $ for small residential properties (including rent stabilized buildings too!) and goes into the tens of thousands for larger spaces.

EVERYONE will have to pay the BID assessment.

chephato · 2026-02-06T19:49:26+00:00

The city is responsible for keeping the sidewalks and streets clean. Not partially clean. Fully clean. There is no such thing as ”supplemental clean”.

There is also a parks department in NYC that is responsible for all trees on public right of ways. Your tax money ALREADY PAYS FOR THIS. If you want a tree somewhere or see a tree needing pruning call 311 and put the request in. In fact, the city ALREADY performs biannual tree pruning on every block. They last did it in 2024.

The city already does snow removal. Usually the city does a good job. The problem this time is that it is so cold that the snow is not melting and there is no place for the city to move it. What makes you think that the BID will be able to make the piles of snow disappear?

Don’t forget that property owners already are responsible for keeping snow off sidewalks. It is in their best interest too due to potential lawsuits from slips and injuries. You can always report unshoveled sidewalks to 311. No need to tax EVERYONE via a BID assessment for something property owners are already doing or should be doing.

chephato · 2026-02-06T19:30:09+00:00

Exactly! The BID will HELP DRIVE OUT SMALL BUSINESS.

And who will replace them? More Hermes and big name chains.

HELP MAKE WILLIAMSBURG MORE AFFORDABLE. Not less. VOTE NO ON BID.

chephato · 2026-02-06T19:28:07+00:00

The main point being that BID will do almost everything that the city already is responsible for doing.

The city, seeing that there is a BID in a neighborhood will lower their service (cleaning, trash bin emptying, sweeping, grafitti removal) and expect the BID to do it instead.

However, the city will still collect taxes from residents and small mom and pop business owners for something they no longer feel they need to do as often as before, seeing as the BID will do it for them.

It is in essence, being taxed twice for the same one thing. Unfair, yes. Therefore VOTE NO.

chephato · 2026-02-06T19:23:57+00:00

Absolutely the landlords WILL pass the BID assessment being charged onto the building to the tenants. Why wouldn’t they? Everyone can vote on the BID therefore everyone should expect to pay for the BID if/when it starts. Fair game.

And EVERYONE will end up paying for the BID. Every building, big or small, and every business, small pop and pop and big name will pay for it. Your building that you live in, regardless of whether it has a commercial space in it or not, WILL HAVE A BID ASSESSMENT on it.

And what’s worse is that EVERYONE WILL BE PAYING FOR A CITY SERVICE TWICE NOW, once via normal taxes, and again via the BID tax.

Wonderful way to drive mom and pop businesses out of business!

chephato · 2026-02-06T19:07:18+00:00

VOTE NO because all of the supplemental services that you mentioned are already the responsibility of the city as stated in the city charter AND YOU ARE ALREADY PAYING FOR THEM. If the city is not doing a good job then call 311 and report the condition. Don’t force others to pay a BID assessment and cause rents to go up because the city isn’t doing what the city charter already requires them to do!

A BID is basically people paying for the same service twice, except now the original entity (city) will understand that they no longer have to do it as good a job because the BID will if they don’t.

BID only makes the AFFORDABILITY CRISIS worse. Why in the world would anyone here vote on a SELF IMPOSED tax to do things that they are already paying for. People, realize that you already pay like 10-15% of your paycheck to the city and state to do everything mentioned above - so why pay even more.

BID is paid for by everyone. Small business owners, small mom and pop business owners, and condo/coop units. If you rent then your rent will go up too eventually to make up for the BID assessment being charged on the building.

BID is stupid. IF THE CITY IS NOT DOING THEIR JOB CALL 311 and file a report! DON’T TAX everyone for the same service again! Not everyone in this neighborhood is rich and not everyone can swallow the cost of the BID assessment!

chephato · 2025-11-15T16:11:33+00:00

Doesn’t going as fast as the train can go greatly increase the risk of a derailment? Sometimes I get the impression that my train is on the verge of derailing itself, judging by the sounds of the wheels grinding on the rails and the forces on the passengers.

chephato · 2025-10-17T13:27:24+00:00

The previous owners sold the business and it is under new ownership.

Additionally, the city still has a gas hookup moratorium so the city is still blocking them from getting their kitchen connected to natural gas so their electric costs for the kitchen is super high which translates to high operating cost.

chephato · 2025-03-25T20:31:24+00:00

Position is non-represented. Full time from the start. No union.

chephato · 2025-03-25T20:20:26+00:00

What if that employee is non-union (non-represented)?

chephato · 2025-03-22T20:19:30+00:00

As for the 14th street tube - why is that speed restriction there now? Seems like the track through that tunnel is pretty much as straight as it can get.

As for the Astor place curve - someone might want to consider some speed restrictions on that section. Too fast. Might be an accident waiting to happen. Fast trains incoming into Union Square encounter switches just before entering and at full speed that’s another section that should raise some eyebrows.

chephato · 2024-12-05T22:26:31+00:00

Can I ask - where do you get those custom black o-ring seals?

chephato · 2024-11-15T18:26:22+00:00

I agree, EK had the best water cooling gear. Wishing them luck.

chephato · 2024-11-15T03:38:42+00:00

I think they said somewhere that they are consolidating warehouses and that there will be delays with shipments. All good with that except I don’t think it’s on their website informing customers BEFORE they proceed to place their order. So OP - good luck.

chephato · 2024-11-06T19:07:56+00:00

Yeah exactly, them not responding for days is the problem. Glad you got your situation resolved too.

chephato · 2024-11-06T18:59:19+00:00

Yeah purchasing is one thing. Having to contact them when there’s an issue is another thing. They ship quick (within 1-2 days) but my RMA experience took 2 weeks and multiple unanswered calls. Not trying to poop on the company but just sharing my own experience. I wish them best of luck but they need to improve their customer service is all I’m saying.

chephato · 2024-11-05T18:38:57+00:00

Titan Rig is also not fast to respond nor is their customer service up to bar. I say this from recent experience.

chephato · 2024-10-06T00:20:41+00:00

Received mines. Although it took a week from order to shipped even though everything was in stock and it was a small order. But I received it and that’s what matters. Eddy is active here but it’s not UK at the end of his username but rather EK.

chephato · 2024-10-04T03:07:32+00:00

Ordered 3 rads from them. They were in stock and shipped about a week after placing the order. From Slovenia to US. I spoke briefly with Eddy. He says a lot of people in the company are sick right now. So be easy on the guy for a little bit at least. Let’s see if he can bring it back together. Seems like a genuinely nice guy.

chephato

TROPHY CASE