November 5, 2009

 

ELMIRA-- New York's financial problems are making it hard on county leaders to keep up services without raising taxes, but County Executive Tom Santulli says Chemung County taxpayers are catching a break for the fifth year in a row.
     Taxes are staying level in Chemung County for now but Santulli warns - there's a lot more to be done before 2011 when federal stimulus money goes away.    
     Santulli is excited taxes are staying the same, $6.98 per thousand of assessed property value.
     However, he'd like to cut 30 county positions through attrition next year to save money.
     This year the county left 13 positions unfilled.
     Also the county eliminated the solid waste tax this year, and sewer levy and rates decreased.
     Santulli is expecting sales tax revenues to climb next year.
     While it's down slightly now, he says more jobs are coming to the area, and that means more shoppers.
     “We're still shopping because we're doing better than other counties. Some counties are down double digit, we're not. (We're down 5.6%) But with that, it's very obvious that people are tightening their belt and really thinking it out as they should,” Santulli said.
     Santulli will be in Albany next month to show how 13 counties have been saving money on Medicaid and how the state can do it too.
     The county legislature will start reviewing the budget next week.
     A public hearing is scheduled for November 16th.