OFFICIALS TO MEET THIS AFTERNOON FOR RIVERWALK GROUND-BREAKING
JAMESTOWN – The next phase in the Jamestown Riverwalk project will get underway later this afternoon. Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi is one of several individuals who will be on hand for a Ground Breaking Ceremony for the Brooklyn Square Riverwalk and Overlook. The mayor and other officials involved with the project will meet underneath the Washington Street bridge to begin the ceremony.
TOTAL VALUE OF TAXABLE PROPERTY IN JAMESTOWN GOES DOWN
JAMESTOWN – According to Mayor Teresi’s 2012 budget proposal, the overall taxable property throughout Jamestown has gone down in the past year. According to an article in Today’s Post-Journal, a further dip in assessed property citywide for 2012 is one of the primary reasons why Teresi is calling for a 2.65 percent hike in the property taxes.
Exemptions are the leading cause for the decrease, with the city losing the ability to tax about $2.8 million dollars in property value over the current year. The exemptions came from the Industrial Development Agency, the Resource Center, National Grid and the state’s STAR program.
Mayor Teresi said that if the exemptions did not occur, the city would actually have a $3.3 million increase in taxable property.
The Mayor’s budget was presented to city lawmaker on Friday. They will now begin deliberations prior to finalizing the plan later this year.
COUNTY BUDGET DELIBERATIONS RESULT IN REDUCTION OF TAX INCREASE
MAYVILLE – County lawmakers have been able to make a major cut in the tax levy increase in Executive Greg Edwards’ budget proposal. The Audit and Control Committee was able to find just over $3-million in added revenues or additional cuts during a Friday afternoon meeting that lasted throughout the day.
The panel found about $3.2-million dollars in cuts, including $1.4-million in new revenue from the fund balance for out-of-county waste at the county landfill. The total savings will bring the sales tax increase down to about 62 cents per thousand instead of $1.13 per thousand.
Delierations are expected to continue and for the remainder of the month. Two public hearing will take place on Oct. 26, prior to the budget vote later that same day.
SENATOR YOUNG FIGHTS TO PREVENT ‘SELF-CERTIFY’ VISION TESTING AT DMV
ALBANY – While the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) continues to investigate the merits of allowing drivers to “self-certify” vision-tests, Senator Catharine Young is questioning the legality behind the policy change and already has introduced legislation that would make vision tests mandatory.
The DMV announced recently that it would no longer require eye exams for
drivers wishing to renew their licenses and could instead verify their vision was good during a license renewal process online. Senator Young called the ill-conceived regulations that were hurriedly forced upon by DMV not only unsafe, but potentially illegal because they were enacted without public scrutiny and bypassed regular rulemaking procedures required by law.
In response to growing criticism regarding the new policy, Governor Cuomo has told DMV officials to place the measure on hold until further medical investigations can be completed.
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