MAYVILLE – The Chautauqua County Legislature will wait until next month before asking the state to allow a sales tax increase. During last night’s voting session in Mayville, County Executive Greg Edwards asked lawmakers to table a resolution that would request permission from the state to increase the total sales tax rate to 8.25 percent.
Edwards asked lawmakers to hold off on the request because of pending legislation in Albany, which – if approved – would increase the maximum sales tax to 8 percent. Edwards says if the Senate and Assembly are able to pass that legislation, the county would no longer need to request its own sales tax hike. Currently, the maximum rate is 7 percent (4 percent for the state and 3 percent for counties). Any county that wishes to see its local total sales tax rate higher than 3 percent would need special permission from Albany.
Chautauqua County’s current sales tax rate is 7.5 percent. Edwards says if the county is unable to increase the sales tax rate, it will be forced to significantly increase property taxes to help close a $14 million budget gap for 2013.
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