Two of Orange County’s most significant institutions - Orange Regional Medical Center and Stewart International Airport - recently received financial news that each says will help improve the services they provide, as well as contribute to the overall well-being of the county.
We’re happy to hear about both developments, although our enthusiasm is tempered in the case of the airport. History has a lot to do with it.
Let’s start with the hospital. Orange Regional has thought big from the beginning, from the choice of its name to the merging of Horton Hospital in Middletown with Arden Hill and Catskill Regional hospitals. It built a state-of-the-art facility that sits on a hill near two major highways in the Town of Wallkill. Since opening in 2011, it has added and upgraded its services.
It also has shown no inclination to rest easy. Last week ORMC received approval from the state Dormitory Authority to issue up to $75 million worth of bonds to finance construction of a cancer center and a five-story medical office building, alongside the existing building. In addition to the cancer center, a welcome addition to the region’s medical services, the project would include a women’s center, an outpatient pharmacy, diagnostic imaging and a primary care walk-in area.
A hospital spokesman says completion of the expansion is expected by December 2016. The Wallkill Planning Board has already approved the project and Supervisor Dan Depew says, ‘’We want them to be successful in everything they do.” So far, that’s been a safe bet.
Stewart is another story. It’s not that it hasn’t functioned as an airport, but rather that, since the military turned it over for civilian use, it has never lived up to the expectations that its sprawling size, long runways and open spaces would make it a bustling commercial airport.
Earlier this month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation that removes state sales and uses taxes on the purchase of general aviation aircraft and any equipment installed on them as of Sept. 1. These are planes owned by individuals or businesses. The tax relief has been sought by the general aviation industry for 10 years and is billed as making New York more competitive in this area, as well as bringing jobs back to state airports.
Stewart, operated by the Port Authority, has two fixed-base operators and is home to GE’s corporate fleet and a Cessna service center. Fritz Kaas, Stewart’s representative to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, sees some owners moving from other states to Stewart because of the tax break and the addition of jobs to build hangars.
He also says, “People don’t see what a huge economic thing (Stewart) is because it doesn’t have a lot of air service.”
Well, yes, that has been the complaint, seemingly forever.
Kass adds, “But that’s going to change in a few years.”
From Kass’ lips to the Port Authority’s ears, we sincerely hope he’s right. Don’t get us wrong, we’re happy for any boost to Stewart’s’ business, although we’re not sure people who own their own planes needed a tax break.
Original article can be found here: http://www.recordonline.com
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