Salary Increases, Property Tax Exemptions Discussed By Legislature’s Administrative Services Committee

Chautauqua County Attorney Pat Slagle and Director of Real Property Services Kim Meleen address Administrative Services Committee (February 20, 2024)

Salary increases for elected officials and property tax exemptions were top items of discussion for the Legislature’s Administrative Services Committee.

The committee, meeting Tuesday, reviewed a series of local laws to increase salaries for the elected positions of County Executive, County Clerk, County Sheriff, and County Legislators. These increases were recommended by the County Salary Review Commission.

County Attorney Pat Slagle said salaries for County Executive, County Clerk and County Sheriff currently increase based on the U.S. Department of Labor‘s Consumer Price Index (CPI). He said that if the Legislature approves the salary increases recommended by the Review Commission, that the increase would be on top of whatever the salaries were when a new term begins.

The Salary Review Commission has recommended, with accompanying local laws before the County Legislature, to increase the County Executive’s salary by $16,210 starting January 1, 2026. The current salary for this position is $111,420.

The County Clerk’s salary would be increased $17,880 on January 1, 2026. It is currently $66,853.

The County Sheriff’s salary would be increased by $10,355 on January 1, 2027. It currently is $100,476.

Chautauqua County Legislators could see their salaries increased for the first time in over 20 years from $9,000 a legislator to $14,732 a legislator.

The Administrative Services Committee also received a local law proposing to amend the County Charter to have the Salary Review Commission meet every four years, starting November 1, 2027.

County Attorney Slagle said there would be no requirement for the commission to make a recommendation regarding increasing salaries, just that a requirement that they meet.

The Committee reviewed a local law and a resolution regarding real property tax exemptions.

One resolution would raise the Senior Citizen Real Property Tax Exemption from the current income limit of $22,000 to the state maximum of $58,400. Director of Real Property Services Kim Meleen said individuals must be 65 or older to qualify and the exemption is for up to 50% of the assessed value of the home.

A local law would raise the household income threshold for people with disabilities to qualify for a partial real property tax exemption from $22,000 to the state maximum of $50,000.

Meleen said individuals would have to present proof of disability to their local assessor in order to receive the exemption. The exemption is for 50% of the assessed value of a property.

Both the Senior Citizen Real Property Tax Exemption and Persons With Disability Real Property Tax Exemption would go into effect on March 1 of this year if approved by the County Legislature.

The full Legislature monthly voting session is Wednesday, February 28.