Starting to see election signs .....

[WNYresident]

Starting to see election signs from the group that brought us property owners to the point we are at.

Some of the highest property taxes in the nation....

While they have control our town we have watched 1000's flee....

And simply put just look around town

Look at our roads and infrastructure...

Look at the vacant buildings and homes...

Time for a real change. Not just a change of names but a change in the "social club" that has ran our town for years...


So anyone know what the people who are running against the Cheektowaga Democratic party up to?

[jennifer7]

I hear people are taking out home equity loans to pay for the property taxes and I hear the taxes are going up alot to pay for the increasing pension costs & raises, and now medical insurance is skyrocketing, The town's were paying over $21,000 a year per employees & for retire's medical insurance, Now NYS premiums are going up 40% to 50% which will raise the cost to over $30,000 a year per employee & retires

[gorja]

I hear people are taking out home equity loans to pay for the property taxes and I hear the taxes are going up alot to pay for the increasing pension costs & raises, and now medical insurance is skyrocketing, The town's were paying over $21,000 a year per employees & for retire's medical insurance, Now NYS premiums are going up 40% to 50% which will raise the cost to over $30,000 a year per employee & retires

Isn't the Town of Cheektowaga self-insured?

[dtwarren]

I hear people are taking out home equity loans to pay for the property taxes and I hear the taxes are going up alot to pay for the increasing pension costs & raises, and now medical insurance is skyrocketing, The town's were paying over $21,000 a year per employees & for retire's medical insurance, Now NYS premiums are going up 40% to 50% which will raise the cost to over $30,000 a year per employee & retires

Perhaps they shouldn't own homes if they have to borrow to pay property taxes. If they could not put the money away to have it before the taxes are due I do not see them doing well making payments plus interest afterwards.

Actually since about 2015 the town tax rate (outside of villages) was reduced.
Attachment 4725

The only variables that would change the amount a person pays in taxes is their own assessment and the total amount of taxable property in the town.

[WNYresident]

Perhaps they shouldn't own homes if they have to borrow to pay property taxes. If they could not put the money away to have it before the taxes are due I do not see them doing well making payments plus interest afterwards.

Actually since about 2015 the town tax rate (outside of villages) was reduced.
Attachment 4725

The only variables that would change the amount a person pays in taxes is their own assessment and the total amount of taxable property in the town.

Perhaps towns should not give service monopolies to small groups of people. These monopolies breed nepotism and never ending cost increases. This is why we need changes that could be made at a state convention.

Since 2015 has the budget been reduced?

[dtwarren]

The way to reduce a budget, if it is even possible, is to help candidates that seek that into office. If you cannot do that then the people get the government they deserve.

There is little a constitutional convention can do in this regard because as I said in my other post there is no grass-roots citizen movement to seat average citizens as delegates to such a convention so the same people that you do not like that are in office now will basically control the convention. Since they have not done so in their current roles as elected leaders how do you think they or their friends and family will do so at such a convention?

[jennifer7]

In 2016 Erie County had the largest population loss in the whole entire country. look at the map,

Downward Swirl aka Death Swirl, Shrinking Taxes Base and Skyrocketing Costs of Providing the Services, gotta pay for all the 6 digit
salaries, 6 digit pensions, yearly longevity pay. Pension spiking remains out of control, 6 digit retirement bonus's on unused vacation & sick time in whole 30 year career, then yearly raises, But WNY Police depts & teachers are already the highest paid in the country and already making over double of what the average salary is,


https://www.census.gov/library/visua...migration.html

[jennifer7]

In 2016 Erie County had the largest population loss in the whole entire country. look at the map,

Downward Swirl aka Death Swirl, Shrinking Taxes Base and Skyrocketing Costs of Providing the Services, gotta pay for all the 6 digit
salaries, 6 digit pensions, yearly longevity pay. Pension spiking remains out of control, 6 digit retirement bonus's on unused vacation & sick time in whole 30 year career, then yearly raises, But WNY Police depts & teachers are already the highest paid in the country and already making over double of what the average salary is,


https://www.census.gov/library/visua...migration.html

Population loss's are now being now felt in the grocery stores & hospitals , Tops & Wegmans are showing less revenue coming in it's WNY Stores, And Catholic Health is showing a decrease in revenue in it's hospitals due to less patients being treated

[dtwarren]

Actually we are up .2% from the 2010 Census: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fa...york/PST045216

[Dan Roman]

Perhaps they shouldn't own homes if they have to borrow to pay property taxes. If they could not put the money away to have it before the taxes are due I do not see them doing well making payments plus interest afterwards.

Actually since about 2015 the town tax rate (outside of villages) was reduced.
Attachment 4725

The only variables that would change the amount a person pays in taxes is their own assessment and the total amount of taxable property in the town.

Good political speak, the rate is down, correct. However they have been raising the assessments like crazy so the total we pay in tax is more than ever, it can't go down, rising contracts and costs dictate that

[jennifer7]

Actually we are up .2% from the 2010 Census: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fa...york/PST045216

No your not. The US Census caught Erie County over estimating (aka LYING) on the number of refugees coming from other countries.
Last year alone WNY lost 5,236 long term residents (aka TAX PAYING RESIDENTS) Funny when WNY was losing 3,500 resident's a year it was considered brain drain, Now it's up to 5,236 a year and it's considered slight population loss's, LOL. Why do you think Depew & Evans are having financial collaspes without having large property taxes increases coming every year, Cheektowaga & Hamburg are next. Cheektowaga is so broke that it can't even afford July 4 fireworks or new K9 dog. LOL but Cheektowaga's got over 30 FD take home new Chief Tahoe's with the coolest graphics & tons of lights that the State Police is starting to complain that it is becoming a distraction to drivers, The sad part is that can't do nothing but put a band aid on , there are not Paramedics or can't provide ALS, which is the standard everywhere else, Because it is a playground

[dtwarren]

Good political speak, the rate is down, correct. However they have been raising the assessments like crazy so the total we pay in tax is more than ever, it can't go down, rising contracts and costs dictate that

So are you saying your assessed value is higher than the fair market value of your property? If so you should challenge it as all real property must be assessed at a uniform percentage of full value (see, RPTL 305 [2]) and full value has been equated with market value, defined as the price which a willing purchaser will pay to a willing vendor in an open market (see, People ex rel. Parklin Operating Corp. v Miller, 287 N.Y. 126, 38 N.E.2d 465).

[Dan Roman]

So are you saying your assessed value is higher than the fair market value of your property? If so you should challenge it as all real property must be assessed at a uniform percentage of full value (see, RPTL 305 [2]) and full value has been equated with market value, defined as the price which a willing purchaser will pay to a willing vendor in an open market (see, People ex rel. Parklin Operating Corp. v Miller, 287 N.Y. 126, 38 N.E.2d 465).

Nope, more political speak. Rising sales great for short term, long term residents will get screwed for another 30 years until they sell at what the market rate will be. Towns jumped on assessment bandwagon to get more money without raising rates.

[dtwarren]

Nope, more political speak. Rising sales great for short term, long term residents will get screwed for another 30 years until they sell at what the market rate will be. Towns jumped on assessment bandwagon to get more money without raising rates.

Assessments do not generate more money for the town. The formula for the tax rate is:

(Total Appropriations budgeted$ - Revenue from sales tax and other sources$) / Total Valuation$

So regardless of what you are assessed at the town will get what it needs through property taxes that is not covered by revenue from other sources.

A municipality needs to have a plan to reassess every parcel of property every 5 years or so, or otherwise it could face challenges on the constitutionality of its assessments on equal protection grounds.

So as mentioned above you need to help candidates get into office that will reduce the amount of appropriations that are not covered by other revenue sources. Not just sit back and bitch about tax rates, assessments, etc.

[WNYresident]

Good political speak, the rate is down, correct. However they have been raising the assessments like crazy so the total we pay in tax is more than ever, it can't go down, rising contracts and costs dictate that

You see it to.