|
2008 town budget approved but financing is questioned
A $31,000 addition was the only change the Town Board made to Supervisor James J. Jankowiak's 2008 town budget, which was unanimously approved Monday.
The additional $31,000 will be used for storm drainage improvements.
The $76 million spending plan featuring a 2.6 percent cut to the tax rate was highly touted by most board members, but Councilmember Tom Johnson took issue with what he called the budget's reliance on higher property tax assessments to achieve the rate drop.
Johnson said that there is a trend to place more of the town budget's financial burden on residents. He said that residential property makes up two-thirds of all of the taxable property in Cheektowaga.
"We have gone from an almost equal assessment of commercial property and residential to a situation where we're at about 67 percent of our total assessable property to residential," Johnson said. "That shifts the load to residents."
Despite the shift, Councilmember Jeff Swiatek said more than 70 percent of residential property owners will see a reduction on their next tax bill.
"The issue of assessments is a problematic one," Swiatek added. "This budget funds existing programs and creates new positions in priority areas, particularly in public safety and community and housing needs. But the job gets more difficult every year."
Councilmember Jeff Rogowski took exception to Johnson's comments, stating that 78 percent of residential assessments remained unchanged or went down. He added his own property's assessment went up.
"There is a decrease in the total tax rate," Rogowski added.
Johnson countered that the shift toward higher residential assessments is up "a considerable amount" for the last several years.
As the debate grew in intensity, Supervisor James J. Jankowiak ended the conversation with his gavel. Jankowiak said that the budget supports the town board's goal to expand the police department and the building and plumbing department.
"We've lowered taxes," Jankowiak added. "Yes, assessments go up. Yes, assessments will continue to go up. The cost of living goes up."
Jankowiak also noted that the entire board voted in favor of the budget.
Johnson told the Times that the total
value of properties in Cheektowaga was almost evenly split between residential and commercial properties as recently as 10 years ago.
The greater emphasis of taxes on residential properties places a heavy burden on residents, Johnson added.
Johnson blames the disparity on several factors, including nearly $548 million in non-taxable property such as land owned by the New York State Thruway, railroads, cemeteries and the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority.
"A lot of larger taxable entities challenge their assessments in court," Johnson said. "Many of them are settled out of court or the courts rule in their favor."
The adopted budget includes new positions in the building and plumbing department, an assistant town engineer and a detective in the police department. There is also a 2 percent raise for all elected town officials.
According to town officials, the average property owner can expect a $39.69 reduction in town taxes for 2008. The average town portion of the tax bill for a home assessed at $58,000 is projected to be $1,488.24.
| 
