Tuesday, May 23, 2006
I welcome your comments….
Politics is about serving the people who elected you to office. It’s about working to improve and enhance the quality of life of all residents, despite what the uninformed have said and the misinformation and attempts to sow confusion in the minds of residents. I welcome your comments….
Voters may create village
May 23, 2006
Voters may create village
Blooming Grove petition ruled valid
By Chris McKenna
Times Herald-Record
cmckenna@th-record.com
Blooming Grove - A state judge has cleared the way for residents of southern Blooming Grove to decide whether to establish the first new village in Orange County since Kiryas Joel formed in 1977.
State Supreme Court Justice Lawrence Horowitz ruled Friday that a petition signed by nearly 1,000 residents of the proposed village is valid, dismissing a litany of technical objections brought by landowners hoping to derail the effort.
The ruling compels Blooming Grove to schedule a referendum for voters in the 4.8-square-mile area straddling Route 208 that would constitute the Village of South Blooming Grove. Almost 2,800 people live in that area.
"This is very good news," Garry Dugan, a leader of the petition drive, said yesterday.
Both he and Spencer McLaughlin, a lawyer who has advised Dugan's group, said the proposal still carries momentum, despite the nearly two years that have elapsed since residents mobilized to take control of their zoning and stave off high-density building.
South Blooming Grove was one of three new villages contemplated in 2004 as people in areas outside the Hasidic community of Kiryas Joel scrambled to prevent the densely populated village from expanding into their suburban neighborhoods.
Hal Greene, a key opponent of the creation of the village, said yesterday that he would leave any appeal to the investor group that recently bought a controlling interest in the 862-acre Lake Anne Country Club, which Greene's family owned for decades.
One influential member of that partnership told the Times Herald-Record earlier this year that he had no interest in appealing.
"The whole lawsuit was nonsense," said Ziggy Brach. He and his business partners hope to build as many as 300 homes on the property. Brach said he saw no reason to fight the creation of a village because he doesn't expect its leaders to tighten Lake Anne's zoning.
Greene was ambivalent about the court decision. He still worries about the zoning uncertainty if a village is formed. But he said allowing the process to move forward might lift suspicion that Brach, who is Hasidic, and the other Hasidic buyers intend to establish another "Jewish village."
A petition to transform most of neighboring Woodbury into a village was submitted in 2004 and challenged; the case is now before the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court. A third proposal, to incorporate Salisbury Mills as a village, never got off the ground.
Voters may create village
Blooming Grove petition ruled valid
By Chris McKenna
Times Herald-Record
cmckenna@th-record.com
Blooming Grove - A state judge has cleared the way for residents of southern Blooming Grove to decide whether to establish the first new village in Orange County since Kiryas Joel formed in 1977.
State Supreme Court Justice Lawrence Horowitz ruled Friday that a petition signed by nearly 1,000 residents of the proposed village is valid, dismissing a litany of technical objections brought by landowners hoping to derail the effort.
The ruling compels Blooming Grove to schedule a referendum for voters in the 4.8-square-mile area straddling Route 208 that would constitute the Village of South Blooming Grove. Almost 2,800 people live in that area.
"This is very good news," Garry Dugan, a leader of the petition drive, said yesterday.
Both he and Spencer McLaughlin, a lawyer who has advised Dugan's group, said the proposal still carries momentum, despite the nearly two years that have elapsed since residents mobilized to take control of their zoning and stave off high-density building.
South Blooming Grove was one of three new villages contemplated in 2004 as people in areas outside the Hasidic community of Kiryas Joel scrambled to prevent the densely populated village from expanding into their suburban neighborhoods.
Hal Greene, a key opponent of the creation of the village, said yesterday that he would leave any appeal to the investor group that recently bought a controlling interest in the 862-acre Lake Anne Country Club, which Greene's family owned for decades.
One influential member of that partnership told the Times Herald-Record earlier this year that he had no interest in appealing.
"The whole lawsuit was nonsense," said Ziggy Brach. He and his business partners hope to build as many as 300 homes on the property. Brach said he saw no reason to fight the creation of a village because he doesn't expect its leaders to tighten Lake Anne's zoning.
Greene was ambivalent about the court decision. He still worries about the zoning uncertainty if a village is formed. But he said allowing the process to move forward might lift suspicion that Brach, who is Hasidic, and the other Hasidic buyers intend to establish another "Jewish village."
A petition to transform most of neighboring Woodbury into a village was submitted in 2004 and challenged; the case is now before the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court. A third proposal, to incorporate Salisbury Mills as a village, never got off the ground.
Friday, May 19, 2006
How to File For a Review of Your Assessment
How to File For a Review of Your Assessment
A Guide for Property Owners
Printable pdf booklets:
38-page How to File booklet - includes large print and sample forms
16-page reduced How to File booklet
HTML version:
Purpose of this Publication
General Guidelines
Key Dates
Assessment Review Process (BAR)
Step-by-Step through form RP-524
sample form
blank RP-524 form (pdf)
Small Claims Assessment Review (SCAR)
Step-by-Step through review petition RPTL-730;
sample form
blank SCAR Petition (pdf)
Also see: Glossary, How Estimates of Market Value are Determined for Residential Properties
A Guide for Property Owners
Printable pdf booklets:
38-page How to File booklet - includes large print and sample forms
16-page reduced How to File booklet
HTML version:
Purpose of this Publication
General Guidelines
Key Dates
Assessment Review Process (BAR)
Step-by-Step through form RP-524
sample form
blank RP-524 form (pdf)
Small Claims Assessment Review (SCAR)
Step-by-Step through review petition RPTL-730;
sample form
blank SCAR Petition (pdf)
Also see: Glossary, How Estimates of Market Value are Determined for Residential Properties
NYS Office of Real Property Services
New York
NYS Office of Real Property Services. The Mission of the Office of Real Property Services is: "To lead the State's efforts to support local governments in their pursuit of real property tax equity." Appeals must be postmarked no later than 30 days after final assessment roll is filed... Dates vary see: Filing Dates. Initial grievance must be filed with the board of assessment review, upon notice of board of assessment review's determination an appeal can be filed with the small claim assessment review section of the NYS Supreme court. >A successful appeal is based upon first establishing the Market Value of your property. In order to reduce your property taxes you must prove that the value of your property is less than the valuation assigned by your assessing district (according to New York State Law, the Assessment is deemed to be correct, and the burdon of proof, falls on the petitioner-homeowner to prove otherwise). A recent bonafide arms length sale of the subject property is the best evidence. If the property was not recently purchased, or the purchase was not at arms length (as in an inter-family sale, foreclosure or other sale made under conditions of distress), An Appraisal by a New York State Certified Appraiser is the next best type of evidence, which is typically used to prove value of your home throughout the process. To determine if you are over assessed, you can multiply the estimated market value of your property by the residential assessment ratio (RAR-see listings above) that has been establshed for your assessing district. If the result is lower than your property's current assessed value, you may reasonably expect that your assessment be reduced to that amount with proper proof and timely filing in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the New York State Office Of Real Property Services.
NYS Office of Real Property Services. The Mission of the Office of Real Property Services is: "To lead the State's efforts to support local governments in their pursuit of real property tax equity." Appeals must be postmarked no later than 30 days after final assessment roll is filed... Dates vary see: Filing Dates. Initial grievance must be filed with the board of assessment review, upon notice of board of assessment review's determination an appeal can be filed with the small claim assessment review section of the NYS Supreme court. >A successful appeal is based upon first establishing the Market Value of your property. In order to reduce your property taxes you must prove that the value of your property is less than the valuation assigned by your assessing district (according to New York State Law, the Assessment is deemed to be correct, and the burdon of proof, falls on the petitioner-homeowner to prove otherwise). A recent bonafide arms length sale of the subject property is the best evidence. If the property was not recently purchased, or the purchase was not at arms length (as in an inter-family sale, foreclosure or other sale made under conditions of distress), An Appraisal by a New York State Certified Appraiser is the next best type of evidence, which is typically used to prove value of your home throughout the process. To determine if you are over assessed, you can multiply the estimated market value of your property by the residential assessment ratio (RAR-see listings above) that has been establshed for your assessing district. If the result is lower than your property's current assessed value, you may reasonably expect that your assessment be reduced to that amount with proper proof and timely filing in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the New York State Office Of Real Property Services.
KJ water-tank plan sparks hot debate
KJ water-tank plan sparks hot debate
Pedestrian killed
Goshen - No issue requiring agreement between the Orange County Legislature and the Village of Kiryas Joel is simple these days.
That's why the village's seemingly simple request to build a pair of water holding tanks on a defunct Jesuit retreat would spark a half-hour debate and inspire a heated exchange between County Executive Ed Diana and Blooming Grove Supervisor Charlie Bohan yesterday.
Placing the tanks on a hill on the county-owned Gonzaga property would improve the village's water pressure, Diana told the Legislature's physical services committee. He pressed the panel to vote on the measure immediately.
But legislators, who have been sparring with Kiryas Joel since blocking its plans to tap the New York City Aqueduct in 2004, balked. The Gonzaga property is scheduled to become a county park. Legislators had some concern about whether the plan would set any precedent for other county parks.
Things got dicey when Diana said the three neighboring towns, Blooming Grove, Monroe and Woodbury, had been notified about the project. Bohan, who was sitting in the room, angrily denied the claim. Committee Chairman Frank Fornario, R-Blooming Grove, had to call Bohan out of order.
In the end, Fornario denied Diana's requests for a vote until lawmakers could get more information. The issue will return to the committee next month.
Brendan Scott
Pedestrian killed
Goshen - No issue requiring agreement between the Orange County Legislature and the Village of Kiryas Joel is simple these days.
That's why the village's seemingly simple request to build a pair of water holding tanks on a defunct Jesuit retreat would spark a half-hour debate and inspire a heated exchange between County Executive Ed Diana and Blooming Grove Supervisor Charlie Bohan yesterday.
Placing the tanks on a hill on the county-owned Gonzaga property would improve the village's water pressure, Diana told the Legislature's physical services committee. He pressed the panel to vote on the measure immediately.
But legislators, who have been sparring with Kiryas Joel since blocking its plans to tap the New York City Aqueduct in 2004, balked. The Gonzaga property is scheduled to become a county park. Legislators had some concern about whether the plan would set any precedent for other county parks.
Things got dicey when Diana said the three neighboring towns, Blooming Grove, Monroe and Woodbury, had been notified about the project. Bohan, who was sitting in the room, angrily denied the claim. Committee Chairman Frank Fornario, R-Blooming Grove, had to call Bohan out of order.
In the end, Fornario denied Diana's requests for a vote until lawmakers could get more information. The issue will return to the committee next month.
Brendan Scott
Pedestrian killed
Goshen - No issue requiring agreement between the Orange County Legislature and the Village of Kiryas Joel is simple these days.
That's why the village's seemingly simple request to build a pair of water holding tanks on a defunct Jesuit retreat would spark a half-hour debate and inspire a heated exchange between County Executive Ed Diana and Blooming Grove Supervisor Charlie Bohan yesterday.
Placing the tanks on a hill on the county-owned Gonzaga property would improve the village's water pressure, Diana told the Legislature's physical services committee. He pressed the panel to vote on the measure immediately.
But legislators, who have been sparring with Kiryas Joel since blocking its plans to tap the New York City Aqueduct in 2004, balked. The Gonzaga property is scheduled to become a county park. Legislators had some concern about whether the plan would set any precedent for other county parks.
Things got dicey when Diana said the three neighboring towns, Blooming Grove, Monroe and Woodbury, had been notified about the project. Bohan, who was sitting in the room, angrily denied the claim. Committee Chairman Frank Fornario, R-Blooming Grove, had to call Bohan out of order.
In the end, Fornario denied Diana's requests for a vote until lawmakers could get more information. The issue will return to the committee next month.
Brendan Scott
Pedestrian killed
Goshen - No issue requiring agreement between the Orange County Legislature and the Village of Kiryas Joel is simple these days.
That's why the village's seemingly simple request to build a pair of water holding tanks on a defunct Jesuit retreat would spark a half-hour debate and inspire a heated exchange between County Executive Ed Diana and Blooming Grove Supervisor Charlie Bohan yesterday.
Placing the tanks on a hill on the county-owned Gonzaga property would improve the village's water pressure, Diana told the Legislature's physical services committee. He pressed the panel to vote on the measure immediately.
But legislators, who have been sparring with Kiryas Joel since blocking its plans to tap the New York City Aqueduct in 2004, balked. The Gonzaga property is scheduled to become a county park. Legislators had some concern about whether the plan would set any precedent for other county parks.
Things got dicey when Diana said the three neighboring towns, Blooming Grove, Monroe and Woodbury, had been notified about the project. Bohan, who was sitting in the room, angrily denied the claim. Committee Chairman Frank Fornario, R-Blooming Grove, had to call Bohan out of order.
In the end, Fornario denied Diana's requests for a vote until lawmakers could get more information. The issue will return to the committee next month.
Brendan Scott
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
High-speed E-ZPass preview next week
May 16, 2006
High-speed E-ZPass preview next week
Woodbury toll plaza first in line
By Judy Rife
Times Herald-Record
jrife@th-record.com
Central Valley - The public will get a peek next week at the New York State Thruway Authority's plan to introduce highway speed E-ZPass at the Woodbury Toll Plaza.
"We think this will not only solve the problem of congestion at the toll plaza but also improve the mobility of the interchange and the air quality in the area," said Ramesh Mehta, director of the Thruway's New York division.
In harnessing technology already in place on other toll roads, the Thruway is attempting to boost customer service as well. Upwards of 60 percent of the 45,000 vehicles that use the Woodbury Toll Plaza on the average weekday are equipped with E-ZPass.
The $50 million project, the first of its kind on the 541-mile toll road, will be the subject of an open house from 6 to 8 p.m. May 23 at the Central Valley Elementary School. The school is on Route 32 opposite Woodbury Common Premium Outlets.
The open house is a come-and-go affair without formal presentations. Thruway staff will be available to discuss project diagrams and renderings on an individual basis.
Similar projects will be rolled out at Yonkers and other Thruway toll plazas over the next five years. The changes, to higher speed and highway speed E-ZPass, are part of the capital plan adopted in conjunction with last year's toll hike.
"If it will move traffic through the area quicker, I'm for it,'' said Woodbury Town Supervisor John Burke. "The pollution here, in the summer, on Fridays, on Sundays, is horrible."
David Church, Orange County's planning commissioner, said the county is "fully supportive" of the project and expects it to complement the work of the Southeastern Orange County Task Force in redesigning the intersections of Routes 32, 6 and 17 with the Thruway at the Harriman Toll Plaza.
Mehta said the project will be done in two phases and completed in 2009. The first phase will modify the entrance and exit ramps at Woodbury and Harriman where traffic now routinely backs up for miles on Friday and Sunday nights.
The modifications are designed to ease that congestion and to eliminate potential conflict between entering and exiting vehicles and through traffic, which will no longer have to slow at the toll booths.
The second phase will be the installation of the overhead equipment that will capture E-ZPass signals at
High-speed E-ZPass preview next week
Woodbury toll plaza first in line
By Judy Rife
Times Herald-Record
jrife@th-record.com
Central Valley - The public will get a peek next week at the New York State Thruway Authority's plan to introduce highway speed E-ZPass at the Woodbury Toll Plaza.
"We think this will not only solve the problem of congestion at the toll plaza but also improve the mobility of the interchange and the air quality in the area," said Ramesh Mehta, director of the Thruway's New York division.
In harnessing technology already in place on other toll roads, the Thruway is attempting to boost customer service as well. Upwards of 60 percent of the 45,000 vehicles that use the Woodbury Toll Plaza on the average weekday are equipped with E-ZPass.
The $50 million project, the first of its kind on the 541-mile toll road, will be the subject of an open house from 6 to 8 p.m. May 23 at the Central Valley Elementary School. The school is on Route 32 opposite Woodbury Common Premium Outlets.
The open house is a come-and-go affair without formal presentations. Thruway staff will be available to discuss project diagrams and renderings on an individual basis.
Similar projects will be rolled out at Yonkers and other Thruway toll plazas over the next five years. The changes, to higher speed and highway speed E-ZPass, are part of the capital plan adopted in conjunction with last year's toll hike.
"If it will move traffic through the area quicker, I'm for it,'' said Woodbury Town Supervisor John Burke. "The pollution here, in the summer, on Fridays, on Sundays, is horrible."
David Church, Orange County's planning commissioner, said the county is "fully supportive" of the project and expects it to complement the work of the Southeastern Orange County Task Force in redesigning the intersections of Routes 32, 6 and 17 with the Thruway at the Harriman Toll Plaza.
Mehta said the project will be done in two phases and completed in 2009. The first phase will modify the entrance and exit ramps at Woodbury and Harriman where traffic now routinely backs up for miles on Friday and Sunday nights.
The modifications are designed to ease that congestion and to eliminate potential conflict between entering and exiting vehicles and through traffic, which will no longer have to slow at the toll booths.
The second phase will be the installation of the overhead equipment that will capture E-ZPass signals at
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Irate residents assess options
May 13, 2006
Irate residents assess options
Home value jump means tax hike
By Chris McKenna
Times Herald-Record
cmckenna@th-record.com
Woodbury - Leslie Bryant stood at the tax assessor's office door, gripping the same official notice that landed with a thud in hundreds of Woodbury mailboxes this week.
Like everyone else in her townhouse complex, she wanted to know: How on earth did her property assessment go up so much?
Roland Tiffany, who may well be the least popular man in town this week, explained to Bryant what he's been telling one angry homeowner after another for the last few days: Assessments at the 453-unit Timber Ridge development were too low, so he brought them in line with other home values in town.
"They're very low," Tiffany told her. "They're undervalued. It's the assessor's job to keep everything current."
In the case of Timber Ridge, that meant raising assessments by as much as 60 percent, portending a big hit in September when residents get their next school tax bills. Residents there are furious. Bryant and others say they might move because they can't afford the increase.
Even selling their homes might be a problem, though, because the higher tax bills might scare off potential buyers, says Karen Peters, an elementary school teacher whose assessment went up to $127,600, from $94,100.
"It's going to do two things," she said. "It's going to prevent us from selling, and it's going to prevent us from living."
Since Timber Ridge is a bastion of affordability in an increasingly expensive region, residents like Peters say they are among the least able to shoulder a large tax increase. Many are retirees, widows, single parents and young people in their first homes.
But the increased desirability of townhouses in a booming housing market has boosted their sale prices, which is what Tiffany used to calculate the new assessments. He argues that Timber Ridge taxes have been disproportionately low, at a time when the owners of Woodbury's million-dollar homes are paying as much as $33,000 a year.
All told, 779 Woodbury properties, including Timber Ridge and the Brookside townhouse complex in Harriman, had their assessments adjusted this year, mostly upward, Tiffany said. He said he brought them to 40 percent of their July 2005 market value, where all assessed values in Woodbury should be.
Many owners are likely to descend on Town Hall May 23 to challenge their assessments before a local review board. They must prove that their new value is unjustifiably high to get a break. Anyone unhappy with the results can appeal to an Orange County hearing officer.
Some in Timber Ridge who have listened to Tiffany say they still think the focus on their complex was unfair.
"I live in a 1,400-square-foot home on a concrete slab; this isn't the lap of luxury here," said Mariann Stepp, a first-grade teacher whose assessment in Timber Ridge went up by 55 percent.
"My taxes will probably rise to just over $7,000 for a townhouse. I'm retiring in June, and it's a quite a big addition to my budget that I hadn't anticipated."
Irate residents assess options
Home value jump means tax hike
By Chris McKenna
Times Herald-Record
cmckenna@th-record.com
Woodbury - Leslie Bryant stood at the tax assessor's office door, gripping the same official notice that landed with a thud in hundreds of Woodbury mailboxes this week.
Like everyone else in her townhouse complex, she wanted to know: How on earth did her property assessment go up so much?
Roland Tiffany, who may well be the least popular man in town this week, explained to Bryant what he's been telling one angry homeowner after another for the last few days: Assessments at the 453-unit Timber Ridge development were too low, so he brought them in line with other home values in town.
"They're very low," Tiffany told her. "They're undervalued. It's the assessor's job to keep everything current."
In the case of Timber Ridge, that meant raising assessments by as much as 60 percent, portending a big hit in September when residents get their next school tax bills. Residents there are furious. Bryant and others say they might move because they can't afford the increase.
Even selling their homes might be a problem, though, because the higher tax bills might scare off potential buyers, says Karen Peters, an elementary school teacher whose assessment went up to $127,600, from $94,100.
"It's going to do two things," she said. "It's going to prevent us from selling, and it's going to prevent us from living."
Since Timber Ridge is a bastion of affordability in an increasingly expensive region, residents like Peters say they are among the least able to shoulder a large tax increase. Many are retirees, widows, single parents and young people in their first homes.
But the increased desirability of townhouses in a booming housing market has boosted their sale prices, which is what Tiffany used to calculate the new assessments. He argues that Timber Ridge taxes have been disproportionately low, at a time when the owners of Woodbury's million-dollar homes are paying as much as $33,000 a year.
All told, 779 Woodbury properties, including Timber Ridge and the Brookside townhouse complex in Harriman, had their assessments adjusted this year, mostly upward, Tiffany said. He said he brought them to 40 percent of their July 2005 market value, where all assessed values in Woodbury should be.
Many owners are likely to descend on Town Hall May 23 to challenge their assessments before a local review board. They must prove that their new value is unjustifiably high to get a break. Anyone unhappy with the results can appeal to an Orange County hearing officer.
Some in Timber Ridge who have listened to Tiffany say they still think the focus on their complex was unfair.
"I live in a 1,400-square-foot home on a concrete slab; this isn't the lap of luxury here," said Mariann Stepp, a first-grade teacher whose assessment in Timber Ridge went up by 55 percent.
"My taxes will probably rise to just over $7,000 for a townhouse. I'm retiring in June, and it's a quite a big addition to my budget that I hadn't anticipated."
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Cornwall Politics:
http://cornball-local.com/
Cornwall Politics:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's official (sorta), Randazzo will challenge Calhoun in November
May 9 - Sources close to the administration of Cornwall Supervisor Dick Randazzo (D), have confirmed Dick will announce his candidacy for the New York State Assembly's 94th District.
Dick will run against Nancy Calhoun (R), who has held the seat since 1991.
It is expected Dick will make his candidacy official within the next two weeks.
In other news . . .
Even if Dick loses to Nancy in November, he may still come out a winner.
Sources tell us New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer (D), who is running for governor, may very well consider Dick as his new Insurance Commissioner if Spitzer wins in November.
Dick has extensive experience in the insurance industry and the learning curve for this position would be minimal.
If Dick resigns as Supervisor it would then be up to the Town Board to appoint his replacement.
The appointee need not come from within the Town Board and it is possible that an outsider could be brought-in to complete Dick's term until a new Supervisor is elected in November 2007.
This document maintained by Webmaster@Cornball-Local.Com
Copyright © 2006 The Canterbury Tales. All rights reserved.
Cornwall Politics:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's official (sorta), Randazzo will challenge Calhoun in November
May 9 - Sources close to the administration of Cornwall Supervisor Dick Randazzo (D), have confirmed Dick will announce his candidacy for the New York State Assembly's 94th District.
Dick will run against Nancy Calhoun (R), who has held the seat since 1991.
It is expected Dick will make his candidacy official within the next two weeks.
In other news . . .
Even if Dick loses to Nancy in November, he may still come out a winner.
Sources tell us New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer (D), who is running for governor, may very well consider Dick as his new Insurance Commissioner if Spitzer wins in November.
Dick has extensive experience in the insurance industry and the learning curve for this position would be minimal.
If Dick resigns as Supervisor it would then be up to the Town Board to appoint his replacement.
The appointee need not come from within the Town Board and it is possible that an outsider could be brought-in to complete Dick's term until a new Supervisor is elected in November 2007.
This document maintained by Webmaster@Cornball-Local.Com
Copyright © 2006 The Canterbury Tales. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Giuliani still pondering White House run
Giuliani still pondering White House run Mon May 1, 5:15 PM ET
Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, visiting the state that traditionally kicks off the White House race, said on Monday he was still considering a 2008 presidential run but was in no rush to decide.
Giuliani, in Iowa to raise money for Republicans and to make a paid appearance at a motivational seminar, said he was gathering information on a possible presidential bid.
"It's something that I'm thinking about," Giuliani said. "It's something I haven't ruled out and it's something that really depends on where things are approximately a year from now."
Public opinion polls consistently show Giuliani and Arizona Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) near the top of a crowded field of possible Republican candidates to succeed President George W. Bush in 2008.
Giuliani gained national acclaim for his leadership in New York after the September 11 attacks, but his support of gay rights and abortion rights could spark opposition from conservatives who hold considerable influence in the Republican caucuses and primaries.
Iowa, which holds the nominating caucuses that kick off the presidential race, is a favorite stopping point for potential White House candidates testing their support and message ahead of a decision on whether to run.
Giuliani said the only way to find out if he could earn conservative support for a White House bid was to run.
"No one ever knows who or what the electorate wants until you offer yourself as a candidate," he said.
"We've had lots of surprises either way. We've had people elected where you never thought they'd get elected. We've had frontrunners who have fallen way behind. But the only way you find out is if you run."
Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, visiting the state that traditionally kicks off the White House race, said on Monday he was still considering a 2008 presidential run but was in no rush to decide.
Giuliani, in Iowa to raise money for Republicans and to make a paid appearance at a motivational seminar, said he was gathering information on a possible presidential bid.
"It's something that I'm thinking about," Giuliani said. "It's something I haven't ruled out and it's something that really depends on where things are approximately a year from now."
Public opinion polls consistently show Giuliani and Arizona Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) near the top of a crowded field of possible Republican candidates to succeed President George W. Bush in 2008.
Giuliani gained national acclaim for his leadership in New York after the September 11 attacks, but his support of gay rights and abortion rights could spark opposition from conservatives who hold considerable influence in the Republican caucuses and primaries.
Iowa, which holds the nominating caucuses that kick off the presidential race, is a favorite stopping point for potential White House candidates testing their support and message ahead of a decision on whether to run.
Giuliani said the only way to find out if he could earn conservative support for a White House bid was to run.
"No one ever knows who or what the electorate wants until you offer yourself as a candidate," he said.
"We've had lots of surprises either way. We've had people elected where you never thought they'd get elected. We've had frontrunners who have fallen way behind. But the only way you find out is if you run."
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