Jamestown City Council will vote on a local law tonight to override the state’s tax cap.
Under a state law passed in 2011, local municipalities may only raise property taxes from the prior year by the lessor of 2% or the rate of inflation.
The proposed $43,315,323 spending plan for 2025 currently includes a 7.79% tax increase.
Even if City Council does not pass the Mayor’s budget as proposed, any tax increase in excess of 2% will require local legislation for such. Council may vote on a local law without it sitting on their desks for 30 days if the Mayor issues a letter of necessity.
Before the voting session, Council will hear budget presentations by the Departments of Public Works, Parks, and Corporation Counsel. Those presentations will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the fourth floor Police Training Room with the voting session taking place at 7:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall. All meetings are open to the public and will be livestreamed on jamestownny.gov.
Now it is time for a bare bones budget. Cut out all the fluff that does not need to be there. And no more ‘free’ stuff for retired city employees. Soon this will be the village of Jamestown, no longer a city as it was.