Lackawanna adopts $20.98 million budget

[steven]

The Lackawanna City Council on Friday unanimously approved a $20.98 million budget for 2007-08.

The budget carries a homestead tax rate of $11.58 per $1,000 of assessed valuation — down 66 cents from the current rate, and a nonhomestead rate of $33.48, down $1.35.

http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregio...ory/94880.html

[Timmy]

It really means nothing without comparisons to other towns, cities and villages

Now wouldnt that really put some pressure on different locals....to get their budgets in order

[Lookinforanswers]

Don't get excited...

The City just completed a reval and are committed to 100% assessment - so rates aren't "apples to apples" year to year.

They INCREASED the assessment on Bethlehem Steel property to $40m even though there is a pending court case and the appraisals on the property are around $14m. This artificially increases revenues (and lowers the tax rate) with money that will just have to be refunded to the steel company after the court case is settled.

State Aid was increased from $4m to over $5.5 mil!!! With that increase in revenue, they should have been able to lower rates even further.

They borrowed another $950000 putting their debt at the highest levels in recent history. They bonded police cars, vans and PENSIONS.

Oh yea, most important IT IS AN ELECTION YEAR for the Mayor and two of the councilmen. That's why you see 40,000 in new playground equipment in the budget.

There has been NO restructuring of departments, or any cost savings measures other than (allegedly) illegally changing health benefits in a case that is still due to go to court. Their property tax has been kept artificially low because of enormous amounts of state aid that have poured in. Check the State Comptroller website, Lackawanna gets MILLIONS while neighboring towns get thousands - not to mention two bites at the sales tax apple!

Speakin of court - the Beth Steel assessment case was scheduled to go to court last year, but they delayed it until this november - can you guess why?

Don't believe everything you read.

[WNYresident]

They bonded police cars, vans and PENSIONS.

THEY BORROWED MONEY for pensions? You GOT to be kidding. So now those pensions cost even more because of interest on the bonds.

Are you sure you have the facts correct?

Who voted yes to something like that? What party did the people who approved it belong to and who endorsed them?

[Lookinforanswers]

THEY BARROWED MONEY for pensions? You GOT to be kidding. So now those pensions cost even more because of interest on the bonds.

Are you sure you have the facts correct?

It is listed in their capital budget

Who voted yes to something like that? What party did the people who approved it belong to and who endorsed them?

In LA it is Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Demo...you get the idea.

[WNYresident]

In LA it is Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Demo...you get the idea.

So without any mistakes your refering to the Erie County Democratic Party lead by Lenny Lenihan

Correct?

[Gork315]

I have not seen the newly passed budget for 2007/08 but I am wondering if the issues addressed in the State Comptroller's report where ever considered by the council in passing this new budget.


Here is the .pdf file of that report by the State Comptroller

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/...lackawanna.pdf