Depew dissolution

[Neubs24]

Saw a couple signs at Columbia and Warner today that said "Protect village life... vote no on dissolution"

First off... WHAT VILLAGE LIFE?!? Its definitely not Lancaster or East Aurora.

Secondly, is there a dissolution proposal that I dont know about?

[WNYresident]

Valid point.

Usually the people who don't want a something dissolved are on the receiving end.

So what is "village life". I wonder if the people with the signs could answer that question.

[Dan Roman]

Maybe they dont want to lose that charming small village feel along with their nostalgic Main St

[Neubs24]

Maybe they dont want to lose that charming small village feel along with their nostalgic Main St

LOL I know! It's so quaint. The Lancaster side can dissolve and keep the village life as a part of Lancaster. Cheektowaga, not as much. Although I'm not sure what they'd be losing beyond a dysfunctional village government. it's not like its going to be sudden anarchy.

[cheekman]

oh god like I said before it needs to go away.. people in Depew are only paying for 25 cop force. that is where 75% of the taxes are going. abolish it.

[cheekman]

looks like the battle lines drawn.. I'm with dumping it long over due. omg tax levy is up and spending is out of control. must be going to the PD. problem is if they dump the village Lancaster or cheektoawga do not want there cops that has been said for years.

Depew is unexpectedly finding itself the focus of a battle to erase the 124-year-old village.

Some of the 15,000 residents want to dissolve the village government and are trying to get a public referendum on the ballot this year.

Battle lines are drawn over a renewed debate on dissolution. And it’s getting ugly. Two opposing grassroots forces are warring, pitting village workers and some residents who want to save the village against government watchdog-types pushing for dissolution.

Those pushing to eliminate the village say it boils down to affordability. They point to a stagnant village with government debt, spending and taxes spiraling out of control. They argue that village debt has jumped by 440 percent to $8.24 million, its tax levy has soared by 86 percent and spending is up 56 percent, all since 2003

[WNYresident]

If staffing levels are they same ratio as other towns why are taxes higher in Depew? Some services must over lap and being billed twice? What do residents in depew gain based off their higher cost living in the Village?

[Neubs24]

They gain nothing.

“You shouldn’t change something that’s good. Leave it alone,”

(Its not)

she said. “I don’t want to be part of the Town of Lancaster. Depew is fine the way it is.”

(You are a part of the town of Lancaster)

[Riven37]

They would only need 5,000 signatures to make this happen.

Saw a couple signs at Columbia and Warner today that said "Protect village life... vote no on dissolution"

First off... WHAT VILLAGE LIFE?!? Its definitely not Lancaster or East Aurora.

Secondly, is there a dissolution proposal that I dont know about?

[jennifer7]

All the other towns better take at good look at Depew, because soon, they are all going to have same problems, Depew's feeling it first, because they are the smallest. But they all share the same problem. Shrinking tax base and skyrocketing costs for services & public worker salary's, benefits & pensions. You can only raise taxes so much and you can see what that has already done to the local economy after year after year of raising taxes

[WNYresident]

Jennifer is correct.

Here is the whole thing. If you say it's time for cuts you will have a group of people say "You hate public service workers", "you don't like cops" and/or what ever "bullet points" unions have their paid shills and/or bought off board members/council members say.

I heard the Cheektowaga Democratic Party is close to wrapping up one of the union contracts.

I hope they shopped services out to compare costs and I guess this board meeting we'll see if they are competent or not.

Yes you heard. Competent or not in the best interest of us property owners.

If all we hear is "Our hands are tied" it is time to replace all of them. Play no favorites.

[jennifer7]

If Village of Depew does get divided by Cheektowaga & Lancaster, Guess what, who going to be on the hook ? The taxpayer's in Cheektowaga & Lancaster are going to have pay all of all of Depew's 100K+ pension's, yearly longevity pay bonus's , pension spiking, 100,000+ cash back bonus of unused vacation/sick time in 30 year careers. Cheektowaga & Lancaster taxpayers should say we don't want to absorb Depew & Depew financially disaster workers pensions & benefits, Tell Depew to get absorbed by the County and let Erie County Sheriff provide PD coverage to Depew

[WNYresident]

Erie County Sheriff provide PD coverage to Depew

That works for me. I wonder if the Cheektowaga Democratic Party reviewed this possibility for us property owners.

[Electric Eye]

All the other towns better take at good look at Depew, because soon, they are all going to have same problems, Depew's feeling it first, because they are the smallest. But they all share the same problem. Shrinking tax base and skyrocketing costs for services & public worker salary's, benefits & pensions. You can only raise taxes so much and you can see what that has already done to the local economy after year after year of raising taxes

I have personally sounded the alarm in Cheektowaga at a several board meetings and more about them heading toward insolvency if they can't do some serious cuts to spending to reduce taxes. The exodus of people leaving is going to pick up pace if they don't start doing it THIS YEAR because they can;t afford to wait until the next budget.

Why can't Depew file for bankruptcy then be absorbed by Lancaster and Cheektowaga without the debt?

[Dan Roman]

Divide the village down Transit, all employees are welcome to apply for positions with either the town of Cheektowaga or town of Lancaster. Either town might need a few cops or highway employees. No Chiefs captains or lieutenants needed, unless they want to start at bottom of list on patrol. Sorry, but that's how it works in private sector, don't like it, go elsewhere