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Town budget hearing draws few comments
Average homeowners will pay about $9 less on their 2007 property tax bills than they did in 2006 under Supervisor Dennis H. Gabryszak's tentative town budget, as major changes in the fiscal plan were outlined Tuesday at Town Hall.
The $9 is based on an average home assessed at $55,000.
Approximately 30 residents attended the budget public hearing, but only four addressed the board, questioning sewer district payments, employee salaries, additional jobs and reassessed properties.
The proposed $75.85 million budget includes a 2.6 percent hike in spending, but that rise is offset by additional revenue, creating a slight drop of 0.8 percent in the tax rate.
An Angela Lane resident, who did not provide his name, said that because his property was reassessed at a higher price, he will not experience the savings promised to other residents.
The man said that the latest assessment values his home at $79,400, a $15,000 jump from the previous $66,900 listing.
"My taxes are going to increase 17.6 percent," the man said. "Not only have my town taxes gone up, but my school tax has gone up 21.5 percent. That's ludicrous."
The man said that his taxes were hiked 17.4 percent in the general fund, 15.5 in the highway fund, 19.5 in the consolidated garbage district and 18.5 in the general lighting district.
Councilmember Jeff Swiatek said that the man's situation represents a "great failure" of New York State's real property tax law. He explained that state law provides no control when an assessment is wrong and remains for too long at the same value. "So, if the assessor takes note of your property and determines that the market value of your property is significantly higher, he's forced by state law to readjust your property," Swiatek said.
Cheektowaga assesses a portion of town properties every year. Properties are generally assessed once every seven years.
A $90 million hike in property assessment helped generate the drop in the town's tax rate for 2007.
Len Dzudiak wondered why the town was adding five jobs, noting that some private companies are downsizing.
Gabryszak said that the town may not fill some positions when employees retire in 2007. However, the town is contracted with one of its unions to minimally staff 250 employees.
"Any time we review a position, we must carefully analyze it," added Jeff Swiatek. "At one point the (Town of Cheektowaga Employees Administration) was up to 280; now we're at about 255."
During the presentation portion of the public hearing, Director of Administration and Finance Brian M. Krause reviewed major changes and their impact on the budget:
Personnel raises of 2.75 percent across the board.
A hike in the minimum wage from $6.75 per hour to $7.15.
Five new positions, three of which are part-time.
$448,600 that will be spent for new equipment, of which $190,000 alone will be used for a new garbage truck.
Interest rates that will bring in an additional $341,000.
An increase in the town's share of the Erie County sales tax will generate $266,000.
A hike in the New York State per capita aid that amounts to $85,000.
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