'When I work for a millionaire whose taxes go down $600, why do we find this OK?'

From left, Charles Kroft, Sheila Hall and Mike Grassie (City of Rochester screenshots)

ROCHESTER - A former city councilor and a resident of Stony Brook Mobile Home Park reframed the city's current mobile home revaluation firestorm on Tuesday, citing what many see as a two-tiered assessment formula that rewards the affluent at the expense of the working class.

Facts unearthed by former city councilor Chris Rice revealed that some of the city's wealthiest corporations saw huge reductions in assessments, while those living in often-times decrepit old trailers, saw their assessments triple and their tax burden double or even worse.

Sheila Hall of Royal Crest MHP told councilors that she's lived in a 1971 mobile home that saw its assessment rise from $39,900 to $139,000.

"My insurance refuses to cover it for more than $50,000. Everyone knows that mobile homes depreciate at a fast rate," she said.

Meanwhile Rice told the council that some of Rochester's biggest employers and corporate entities saw a windfall in their tax burden.

According to Rice, HCA, which runs Frisbie Memorial Hospital, saw a $260,000 drop in their assessment, while Albany Engineering saw a $415,000 reduction.

Rice then turned his attention to several council members including the mayor, who Rice said saw a decrease of $870 in taxes even after adding a back porch to his home and a kitchen upgrade.

Rice said former city manager and current city councilor Dan Fitzpatrick also saw a reduction in taxes.

It's widely known in the community that single family homes almost all saw a reduction in their tax burden, according to an informal survey by The Rochester Voice.

The public comment period was peppered with catcalls and snickering as the crowd grew angry prompting Mayor Paul Callaghan to tell the audience several times, "Keep you comments to yourself!"

At one point after one outraged speaker grew frustrated because Callaghan wouldn't answer a question, the mayor said, "We can't respond to public input."

At that point City Councilor Bryan Karolian suggested the council take a break due to the heated exchange, but the mayor immediately snapped," There's no second, we're gonna keep going."

But it was Charles Kroft of Stony Brook Mobile Home Park who may have dressed down the City Council the best.

Kroft owns a 1979 mobile home that was assessed at $18,500 in 2018. This year it's assessed at $99,800.

"When I work for a millionaire who has a four-bedroom home whose taxes went down $600, why do we find this OK? It's unacceptable. Think about what you've done to our seniors."

Looking up at the councilors at their dais high above the gallery he added, "How can any of you say this is acceptable."

In closing, a grim Mike Grassie of Chestnut Hill Mobile Home Park told the council he owned a 1972 Holly Park mobile home with four inches of insulation cut in half in the walls and single pane glass windows that do little to stop the wind.

"And you tripled my taxes," he said. "I can barely make my truck payment. I bust my ass every day and it's not to help all you!"