Amherst History Museum

[WNYresident]

Should Amherst relieve thier tax payers and residents on fixed incomes the burden of $600,000 or more a year towards the amherst history museum?

[amamo]

I beleive that Amherst should releive the residents. Esp. those on a fixed income the burden of the museum. But as we all know they will find another way, to pay for it, through an increase of some different tax

[Night Owl]

I really hope no one takes this the wrong way.

IMO- Amherst is the 'richy' area of Erie County. A 'fixed' income in Amherst is like comfortable living for some in the city of Buffalo. Hardly ever does one hear about a poverty stricken family living in deplorable conditions in Amherst. How many soup kitchens and food pantries do they have there?

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However, I would have to know more before simply answering yes or no.

Is the calculation of $600,000 (or more) a year the total amount the Museum is asking for via taxes, as a combination of all the residents?

OR

Are they looking to collect $600,000 (or more) a year from each individual property owner of the town?

If it's a case where the museum people are just asking for $600,000 from the entire town, devide the number by how many residents and each pays and equal amount. For the population of Amherst it would come out to about pennies a day for a wonderful historcal museum; a small price to pay for a great asset to their community.

[therising]

I'm sure someone will tell me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that the $600k is over 3 years.

There are about 35,000 households in Amherst, so we're talking about $17-$18/household, spread over 3 years, so it's less than $6/year.

Someone tell me if this is right or wrong.

[WNYresident]

Small cost per day but all cost add up when you are on a fixed income. You add up all the little small cost in WNY/NYS and presto we are at the top spot again for high taxes.

I would prefer to have a museum before extra needless town employees. I'm NOT stating all employees in general, i mean the patronage slow working ones or ones that really don't contribute to something in a town. Or the employees we read about which are over paid for what they do.

AIN'T THAT the TRUTH mentioned the amherst highway department has more employees than a study stated they needed and supposily there's some waste going on at the sewer waste treatment center. Maybe something like this museum cut will kick the supervisor in the pants to realize wasteful spending in all departments will cause other departments to suffer.

I was surprized how many people are on payroll and the wages they are recieving at the museum, seemed like a lot. Plus do they take into account other town employees that do various task at the museum also? OR is it a totally self contained department?


Don't forget to add the pepsi center into the mix too.. how much is that a burden on the taxpayer and businesses?

[Night Owl]

I'm sure someone will tell me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that the $600k is over 3 years.

There are about 35,000 households in Amherst, so we're talking about $17-$18/household, spread over 3 years, so it's less than $6/year.


If this discussion is only about $6 a year, then what's the problem with Amherst residents on 'fixed' incomes?

$6???

To: WNYresdient-
I bet $6 dollars the Panther won't win in the Super Bowl this year. :p

[WNYresident]

It's $6 there... $3 here... $19 there... and before you know it you have insanely high property/state taxes. It all adds up.

Give superivisor grelick $9 per hour for 12 months and tell her NOT to touch all her money in the bank and live on it in amherst or anywhere in WNY for a while. If a lot of the politicians/governor lived on what the average resident lives on it would open thier eyes.

[Night Owl]

It isn’t that I disagree with you WNYresident, but in the case of the Amherst museum- $2.00 a month- for the next 3 years is hardly ‘breaking the bank’ of Amherst residents.

Naturally when other things are added on, then there are additional cause for questions.

You started this thread asking: Should Amherst relieve thier tax payers and residents on fixed incomes the burden of $600,000 or more a year towards the amherst history museum?

There’s a big difference between $6 and $600,000 per resident on the museum topic, but throughout your posts you’ve mentioned other entities (not just the museum) that apply to all residents - not just the ones on a ‘fixed income’ which then changes the topic entirely.

I am not picking on you, and I do concur that for everything Amherst and Western New York, I don’t doubt the taxes are too high – especially for those on fixed incomes and the working class poor. However, in keeping to the spirit of the original question of the museum – only the museum, I would have to say ‘no’ the town of Amherst should not relieve the taxpayers. Not when it only comes out to pennies a day.

[WNYresident]

Have you visited the museum to acutally see what the residents get for thier tax input. Just yesterday I had one person who lives in amherst say he couldn't believe how much money went into the place. Pennies a day or not if they are wasteful it's still wasteful..

[WNYresident]

There’s a big difference between $6 and $600,000 per resident on the museum topic

"Should Amherst relieve thier tax payers and residents on fixed incomes the burden of $600,000 or more a year towards the amherst history museum?"


I read my post and I can't see where you came up with a $600,000 per resident statement. I was listening to Tom b and sandy B on WBEN and wasn't impressed with the answers the museum people were giving. I think the one women is paid about $70,000 a year. I would expect better answers from someone making $70,000 a year for the position.

[Night Owl]

$600,000 per resident

that was my mistake, it was to have read '$6 per resident.... '

[WNYresident]

They had a little bit of news on the museum.

I heard on TV that membership is up and something they do is up three fold.

Anyone happen to know what the numbers are? I'm curious what has been done since they were told funding would be cut.