Yep, two years is all it took for Steven Walters to make sure you and I don’t have a tax increase. You all remember don’t you? His campaign promise was 0% tax increase if you elected him and now he fulfilled that promise. He did it with a Democratic majority on the town board so imagine just how much he will drop taxes next year with control of that board.
I’m impressed and you should be to. Thanks Supervisor Walters! You have proven to be an elected official who keeps his word.
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/southernsuburbs/story/210909.html
Hamburg board OKs budget with no tax hike
By Elmer Ploetz NEWS STAFF REPORTER
Updated: 11/20/07 6:57 AM
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The Hamburg Town Board passed a budget Monday night that won’t raise taxes for anyone next year.
The preliminary budget presented at the end of September had called for a 1.1 percent tax rate increase in the villages of Hamburg and Blasdell, and no increase in the rest of the town.
But the board decided to reduce the tax levy by dipping into its fund balance — the town’s equivalent of its savings account — and raising its estimate of its share of revenue from the fairgrounds video lottery.
Wayne Drescher, the financial consultant who works with the town, said a fund balance is not limited to handling cash flow and emergencies, but also can be used to avert spikes in the town’s tax rate.
“It’s not the town’s money, and you don’t want to hold onto it,” Drescher said. “But at the same time, if you use it right, you don’t have to borrow money, and it can help stabilize your taxes from year to year.”
Drescher said the amount of money to be withdrawn from the fund balance — about $2.1 million — is less than what was used in the current year’s budget.
The tax bill for residents with properties assessed at $100,000 — which would translate into a market value of $153,000 — will be $899 outside of the villages and $405 in the villages of Hamburg and Blasdell.
Just a quick correction. Walters never promised a 0% tax rate. His goal was 0% or a decrease, but never promised it. The dems tried burying him on this “promise”. Walters was smart and it shows in this years budget and for the next few down the road.
Boy, there must be a REAL fine line between a promise and a goal ! Why a quick correction ? ‘So what Says’
I don’t think that needs correction. What;s the big deal ?
What needs correction: Last year, the numbers Mr. Walters was given by James Spute (the Dems accountant) were a little light; then the Dems budget caucus was given numbers slightly higher (like 1/2 a million dollars more than what Mr. Walters was given)
Correction: Mr. Walters could have done better if they didn’t stack the deck against him ! Right ???