New York”™s high taxes are sending businesses and residents to tax-friendlier climes; High Falls”™ Westcote Bell Studios are among those fleeing the burden.
Potter Vaughan Smith and his spouse, painter/illustrator Jacqueline Cohen, have melded their talents together in Smith”™s pottery, creating one-of-a-kind pieces ”“ from simple kiln-fired birdhouses to hand-painted pedestal sinks.
The couple, originally from England, came to High Falls via Cleveland in 1995, where they set up shop in the artist-friendly enclave surrounded by New York City second-homeowners.
“Taxes were reasonable and the studio and property were a perfect fit,” Smith said.
Today, Smith”™s property taxes have surpassed the $10,000 mark with no end in sight. And the once bubbling “pottery trail” in High Falls has seen business slow to a crawl since the market crash. Although trade shows around the country have been more than successful, staying in business in Ulster County and New York State has become impossible for the couple. They”™re taking their talent to Nova Scotia, where taxes are one-tenth what they now pay.
Westcote Bell”™s owners are extremely sad to be leaving High Falls, where the artistic niche includes John Novi”™s Dupuy Canal House. “It”™s a terrible feeling to leave our neighbors, but we have no choice,” Smith said. “When we realized we”™ll be paying close to $20,000 a year in property taxes in less than a decade ”“ even if a four percent tax cap is enacted ”“ we knew it was time to look elsewhere.”
A small inheritance gave them the incentive to move in light of the fact “selling this property is next to impossible right now,” Smith said. They found waterfront property in Lunenberg, Nova Scotia, an hour away from Halifax. They intend to keep Westcote Bell Pottery and Cohen”™s painting studio in business and make a seamless transition as soon as their new studio is renovated ”“ adding some amenities for their patrons and friends along with it, including workshops paired with local hotel accommodations, making the pottery shop a vacation destination. “In addition to making and selling our crafts, we will be teaching classes and workshops in pottery, painting and printmaking. There is a small motel just down the shoreline and the town is charming.”
Smith and Vaughan have already marked down most items in the studio by 50 percent and expect the renovation of their new studio and home in Canada to be completed by spring of 2011 when the couple will be leaving the Hudson Valley.
Besides the allure of an oceanfront studio and home, the real appeal of moving north to Canada is its property taxes and artist-friendly government.
“We”™ll be paying $1,100 a year,” Smith said, “a tenth of what we are paying now. The country also shows its appreciation of the arts community because it knows artists and craftspeople bring business to downtowns and add to its culture and it provides them with a pension. Where can you go in the U.S. and be eligible for a pension for being an artist?
“ New York may be a hub for artists, but it”™s a struggle to stay in the black when you are paying never-ending taxes and no relief in sight. You can”™t keep adjusting prices upward to pay the bills … we”™ve been very fortunate and done well at several recent shows, but you can”™t price yourself out of business.”
Westcote Bell Pottery”™s website highlights its work, as well as its soon-to-be new home. “We are definitely going to miss our neighbors,” Smith said. “High Falls is a great location, but for us, it”™s time to move on. We have a strong web presence and we do shows all over the country, so it is just a matter of moving our physical location. The fact that our taxes will be a fraction of what they are now is enough of an incentive to relocate. It”™s sad for us to leave our community and neighbors, but it”™s also a chance to have breathing room.”
Smith says, “If the state wonders why people are leaving, they only need look around to see what others are offering and take a cue.”
