Chautauqua County Legislature (April 27, 2022)
The Chautauqua County Legislature approved a gas sales tax reduction by a vote of 12 to 6 Wednesday night.
The resolution sets a fixed rate per gallon at 12-cents. Legislators had expressed concerns over how the sales tax reduction would affect local municipalities. Legislator Jay Gould said his district has some poor towns, “And the Finance Department made us a list. And I got the list tonight. And my four towns will be losing $1,400 worth of sales tax and I don’t feel that’s enough to cripple them, so I will be voting in favor of the gas tax.”
Legislator Lisa Vanstrom said she was voting no on the resolution, calling it a public safety issue with how roads and bridge repairs depend on funding from the gas sales tax. She added that the resolution doesn’t guarantee a consumer cost reduction, “Reducing or capping this motor fuel tax will not guarantee a lower price at the pumps because the retailers have the ultimate choice of setting the price. So even if we’re kind and gracious enough to understand the need of a consumer for a break, it may not result in anything at the end of the day out of your pocket being saved.”
Finance Director Kitty Crow had informed legislators in committee meetings that the sales tax reduction should have a neutral effect on the county’s budgeted sales tax revenue for 2022.
Legislators voted 6 to 12 against a resolution that would have accepted a $75,000 grant to address vaccine hesitancy in the county with the goal to increase the vaccination rates in children and the African-American community.
Legislator Bob Bankowski took issue with how the resolution singled out specific groups, “It is basically singling out African Americans, Amish people because of their religion, children. At this point and time, I mean, this has been around now, COVID has been here for two years. I think people have decided if they’re going to get vaccinated or they’re not going to get vaccinated. And in general, this should be for all and not just singling out groups.”
A handful of residents had spoke out on the resolution during privilege of floor over concerns of over-reach by the Health Department.
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