Legislature Committee Cuts 2015 Budget, Reduces Tax Rate

MAYVILLE – Members of the Chautauqua County Legislature have been working the past couple weeks on reviewing the 2015 executive budget and looking for ways to cut the proposed tax increase.

Last month County Executive Vince Horrigan presented a $228.7 million dollar budget that includes a 1 percent increase in the property tax rate.

However, according to an article in Thursday’s Jamestown Post-Journal, the legislature’s audit and control committee have been able to identify more than $920,000 in adjustments, which would result in a slight decrease in property taxes – seeing the rate go down by 2 cents per thousand assessed value.

Among the adjustments is a $500,000 cut in the Department of Health and Human Services budget, a $127,000 cut in the Sheriff’s Office, a $50,000 cut in the office for the Aging, and a $50,000 cut in the public defender’s budget. Lawmakers also increased the sales tax revenue line by $100,000.

The entire legislature will review the budget recommendations from Audit and Control during the Oct. 22 voting session. At that point any final adjustments will be made, prior the an expected vote on the budget.