SCHENECTADY COUNTY County expected to seek extension of tax BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
Schenectady County won’t be cutting any slack to local consumers on the sales tax this year. It can’t afford to. The county Legislature tonight is expected to seek state approval allowing the county to continue collecting an additional /2 of a percent on the sales tax. The /2 percent represents $10.5 million in revenues for the county, and its loss would blow a huge hole in the current budget of $279 million. George Davidson, commissioner of finance, said the county has already included the anticipated revenues in the current budget and that the county have to raise property taxes 18 percent to offset the loss of the $10.5 million. The county collects 4 percent of the 8 percent sales tax, with the state collecting the remainder. The current state authorization expires Nov. 30. The county must renew the authorization every two years. It first authorized the increase in 2003 to offset increases in local Medicaid costs. “Passage of state legislation will allow county to leave local property tax rate as the current level. This will prevent a new burden to property tax payers which would otherwise result,” according to the proposed legislation. Joe Suhrada, R-Rotterdam, said the county needs the money “because we have such bloated budgets. We could cut taxes if we cut spending. But no one has the political will to do that.” Suhrada said will vote against the proposal. County Legislator Philip Fields, D-Schenectady, chairman of the Legislature’s Ways and Means Committee, said the county depends on the sales tax as a key revenue. The other key revenue source is property taxes. The county expects to collect $84 million in sales taxes for the year. It will distribute $29 million of the amount to the city and to the towns and villages, retaining the remainder. ..........>>>>>........http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar01103
Joe Suhrada, R-Rotterdam, said the county needs the money “because we have such bloated budgets. We could cut taxes if we cut spending. But no one has the political will to do that.” Suhrada said will vote against the proposal.
I commend Joe for his fiscal conservatism. Serious spending reductions are not considered by the tax and spend liberal Democrats on the County Legislature. I wonder if any of Joe's Republican colleagues will vote with him? I suspect not as Joe is the only conservative on the legislative body. The other Republicans will sell out and "go along to get along".
Might the discussion of Santabarbara's legislation banning the chemical additive in plastic bottles be a calculated move by the majority to gain his vote in passing the sales tax legislation?
It's time for fiscal and social conservative to be elected to county government. Unfortunately, there are none in the offing. A true conservative could not gain the endorsement of either of the major political parties without selling out his or her ideals, principles, and values to advance party interests and those who control the party endorsements.
Schenectady County won’t be cutting any slack to local consumers on the sales tax this year
Like this is a surprise to who?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Aside from Joe Suhrada and Ang, this is a group of fiscal idiots who should all be chased out of elective office. Then they run for higher office and wonder why no one supports them?
Joe needs to reconsider running for town board. He is desperately needed at the County level. The fact that Strawberry Fields is elected to anything and faces no opponent in the Fall, speaks volume about the collaspe of this County. Fields is a reliable stooge for every tax and nitwit spending scheme. If the REP do not take over this November expect another 15% PLUS increase in your record property taxes.
Aside from Joe Suhrada and Ang, this is a group of fiscal idiots who should all be chased out of elective office.
Be careful of making assumptions Benny. We will need to await the results of the vote to know if there were two votes or only one in opposition. I am not confident that Santabarbara will oppose the extension of the increased sales tax.
And remember that the towns and the city get a % of these tax revenues to support their pet projects.
My sources have told me that it was 11-4 predictably the Democrats voted to raise taxes again, all in lockstep.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
“Passage of state legislation will allow county to leave local property tax rate as the current level. This will prevent a new burden to property tax payers which would otherwise result,” according to the proposed legislation.
So, does this mean that this, assuming it did go at the 11-4 rate, as stated by GB, that there will be no raise in the county taxes next year?
I think they voted to keep it at 8% rather than revert back to the 7.5% it was a few years back.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
Logged
Aside from Joe Suhrada and Ang, this is a group of fiscal idiots who should all be chased out of elective office. Then they run for higher office and wonder why no one supports them? 
