MAYVILLE – Governor Andrew Cuomo has given his approval for Chautauqua County to increase its sales tax to 8 percent.
County Executive Vince Horrigan said in his weekly Monday Morning Memo that the governor signed the home-rule legislation on Friday. Last week, the county legislature also approved the resolution to move forward with the increase, meaning all that is left now is for Horrigan to sign the resolution and the county can file for the hike. Horrigan said sales tax will go up to 8 percent starting December 1.
As part of the agreement with the state to allow the .5 percent sales tax hike to take place, the county has said it would cut property taxes by at least 3 percent in the 2016 budget. It appears that will be achieved, with Horrigan last week calling for a 4.6 percent property tax cut and some legislators saying even more may be cut by the time the budget is finalized in October.
Horrigan also reminds residents that although the sales tax will be increasing, there will still be exemptions in place, including purchases of clothing items under $110, as well as for unprepared food and energy expenses.
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