Amherst Fire District Disparity.

[Member 2358]

http://buffalonews.com/2018/02/10/so...istrict-taxes/

"...Prisaznuk pays 4½ times what he would pay if his house were located across the street."

"Prisaznuk suggested creating one fire district for the town. This would preserve all of the fire companies, but everyone in the town would pay the same fire district tax rate."

Are you kidding me?!?!?!?!!!!!! This guy buys a house. And because he didn't do his due diligence about the underlying cost, he wants the entire town to help him save a few bucks.

The dude has a set of stones. I'll give him that!!

Where does he get off with this crap?

Hey fella, if you do not want to pay what it costs to live where you do... move!!!

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Hey, I think we should share my tax bill but I still don't want a subdivision in my backyard. Too much traffic.

LOL

[Dan Roman]

http://buffalonews.com/2018/02/10/so...istrict-taxes/

"...Prisaznuk pays 4½ times what he would pay if his house were located across the street."

"Prisaznuk suggested creating one fire district for the town. This would preserve all of the fire companies, but everyone in the town would pay the same fire district tax rate."

Are you kidding me?!?!?!?!!!!!! This guy buys a house. And because he didn't do his due diligence about the underlying cost, he wants the entire town to help him save a few bucks.

The dude has a set of stones. I'll give him that!!

Where does he get off with this crap?

Hey fella, if you do not want to pay what it costs to live where you do... move!!!

What this guy should be asking is why am I paying all these taxes for a volunteer service , it’s time for a difficult discussion on starting to at least get a partial paid department with paramedic level training and quicker response times especially during the day.

[Member 2358]

What this guy should be asking is why am I paying all these taxes for a volunteer service , it’s time for a difficult discussion on starting to at least get a partial paid department with paramedic level training and quicker response times especially during the day.

Doesn't the money primarily go for all the equipment, professional training, and facilities (some, that are quite Taj Mahal-like!)? Not so much for the actual "service" itself.

If the Town wants to completely restructure its fire and medical emergency services for operational efficiencies (like, response times, for example), sure, let's go for it.

But, here's the thing, the current discussion is being driven by a guy (or more) that is essentially whining because they have to pay more than others that made "smarter" (at least in one sense) real estate decisions. Now, after thirty-two years he wants others to provide him with some relief for a decision that he made... but doesn't want to honor. Talk about an ego... wow!

This really fries me.

[Member 2358]

Oh, by the way, it seems that a couple years ago, this same guy was griping to the Amherst Traffic Safety Committee that "his street" has become unsafe because of alleged increased traffic & speeds, and - get this - lack of sidewalks.

OK, this sounds like a feller that doesn't like where he lives for a number of reasons. He wants others to make adjustments to please his vision.

I get that he grew up on the street and it ain't like it was in the 1960's. Things change, pal... things change. but that street never had sidewalks... he knows that.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

What this guy should be asking is why am I paying all these taxes for a volunteer service, it’s time for a difficult discussion on starting to at least get a partially paid department with paramedic level training and quicker response times especially during the day.

The City of Buffalo spends about $60 million per year on their Fire Department. That's just for the department. There are Fire Department costs in other departments like Human Resources and Law. I would assume that even with the 'townie country clubs' that are Fire Halls, the costs to the taxpayer are less than funding a partial or even full department. It's NYS after all.

I know people like Grump love studies but I think this one might be worth looking at.

But, here's the thing, the current discussion is being driven by a guy (or more) that is essentially whining because they have to pay more than others that made "smarter" (at least in one sense) real estate decisions. Now, after thirty-two years he wants others to provide him with some relief for a decision that he made... but doesn't want to honor. Talk about an ego... wow!

This really fries me.

Cake and Eat It TOO

[WNYresident]

I get that he grew up on the street and it ain't like it was in the 1960's. Things change, pal... things change. but that street never had sidewalks... he knows that.

Things change, pal...things change. True but then again if you are being ripped off or things are not being handled in your best interest you try to remedy the issue.

If the Town wants to completely restructure its fire and medical emergency services for operational efficiencies (like, response times, for example), sure, let's go for it.

I was told it's politically bad to question the volunteer fire departments. That they can make or break someone running for town board or someone on the current town board. Think how many votes come from the volunteer groups. Husbands, wives and relatives.

Volunteer or not I think they should be regularly audited to see how the many is being spent or banked over the years. I just looked at either our last or the year before tax bill.

$792,500 Fire 9 Bellevue

http://www.bellevuefire.org/


Very good group of people but how is roughly $800k a year spent? $66,041 a month.

What is the life cycle of the current fire hall? What is spent on realistic maintenance so the building lasts for 30+ years?

What is the life cycle of the equipment in general? What is spent on maintenance so that the equipment is reliable and safe? I am all for toys.

Etc....

It would be in the best interest of the property owners if all of this was monitored properly. Maybe not in the best interest of a town board who is looking for votes but in the end property owners shouldn't care about board members political careers.

[Member 2358]

Things change, pal...things change. True but then again if you are being ripped off or things are not being handled in your best interest you try to remedy the issue.



I was told it's politically bad to question the volunteer fire departments. That they can make or break someone running for town board or someone on the current town board. Think how many votes come from the volunteer groups. Husbands, wives and relatives.

Volunteer or not I think they should be regularly audited to see how the many is being spent or banked over the years. I just looked at either our last or the year before tax bill.

$792,500 Fire 9 Bellevue

http://www.bellevuefire.org/


Very good group of people but how is roughly $800k a year spent? $66,041 a month.

What is the life cycle of the current fire hall? What is spent on realistic maintenance so the building lasts for 30+ years?

What is the life cycle of the equipment in general? What is spent on maintenance so that the equipment is reliable and safe? I am all for toys.

Etc....

It would be in the best interest of the property owners if all of this was monitored properly. Maybe not in the best interest of a town board who is looking for votes but in the end property owners shouldn't care about board members political careers.

No doubt, fire companies should be subjected to both internal and outside audits (annually, IMO)... and the results should be published for the folks that pay the costs. I couldn't argue that if I tried.

And, yeah, as things change there should be an accommodating eye on how to manage that change. But, to look to others to pay your way?!?!?!?!!!!! Um, not if I have anything to say about it. Look, if the street has become unsafe, and sidewalks are a solution, the owners are free to get together and install sidewalks on their respective properties, no? All, none, some, whatever. But to go the the traffic safety folks and argue that the Town should pay for the sidewalks, um, no. Sidewalks are the responsibility of the property owner. to freaking bad Mr. Schoelles Road guy(s).

Again, it's too bad that this guy pays more for his fire protection outfit than some others. But it was his fault for not doing due diligence. Mistakes are costly -- -- to HIM. for him to suggest that it is "fair" to look to everyone else to 'bail him out' is arrogant.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Volunteer or not I think they should be regularly audited to see how the many is being spent or banked over the years. I just looked at either our last or the year before tax bill.

$792,500 Fire 9 Bellevue

http://www.bellevuefire.org/

Very good group of people but how is roughly $800k a year spent? $66,041 a month.

I don't think anyone should have an issue with audits and I am pretty sure they happen.

FWIW, it looks like Cheektowaga has 11 volunteer fire companies. This is to cover 30 square miles of the town. Round that out to $1 million per company and you have $11 million to cover 30 square miles or $366k to cover each square mile.

On the low end, Buffalo spends $60 million to cover 40 square miles. That's $1.5 million per square mile. A 75% increase in cost.

[Member 2358]

I don't think anyone should have an issue with audits and I am pretty sure they happen.

FWIW, it looks like Cheektowaga has 11 volunteer fire companies. This is to cover 30 square miles of the town. Round that out to $1 million per company and you have $11 million to cover 30 square miles or $366k to cover each square mile.

On the low end, Buffalo spends $60 million to cover 40 square miles. That's $1.5 million per square mile. A 75% increase in cost.

Wait. Buffalo folk pay more than Cheektowaga? Schoelles Road guy will think that is unfair. Buffalo and Cheektowaga should merge so that Cheek people pay for some of Bflo costs. Hahahahahaaaaaaa!

Sorry, but I just cannot get over the pomposity of an accountant that makes thirty two years of financial oversights, and then looks to others (that didn't make the error/oversight) to bail him out. Fully deserving of ridicule IMO.

Again, I am all for looking for operational, financial, and functional efficiencies to provide better service. That is not what Schoelles Road guy is addressing.

[jennifer7]

Also 99.999% of Erie County Volunteer FD's & paid FD's City of Buffalo, Lackawanna Do Not provided ALS or Paramedic Level which the national standard and is available everywhere outside WNY, But Erie County does 400+ and growing brand new take home Tahoe's that 90% of the wear & tear is for personal use, Each Volunteer FD has 4 to 6 of them with the numbers 9, 9-1, 9-2, 9-3, & now 7-2, 7-3 as they keep adding more of them. Lancaster FD's are now the richest and get the most money in the County

[Member 2358]

O M G. Decades ago, I bought my house in Erie County. I lernt today that some other people in the United States of America are paying less taxes than I. It is very frustrating. I'd like for all those paying less to chip in to lower my tax bill. It is the fairest thing to do. Thanks in advance. lol

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

O M G. Decades ago, I bought my house in Erie County. I lernt today that some other people in the United States of America are paying less taxes than I. It is very frustrating. I'd like for all those paying less to chip in to lower my tax bill. It is the fairest thing to do. Thanks in advance. lol

OK. We get it. You're almost as bad as Tony with his EC Dems stuff.

[Member 2358]

OK. We get it. You're almost as bad as Tony with his EC Dems stuff.

Ha! Sorry, my unbridled passion is showing.

Actually, in the case of Schoelles Road guy, I think passion is occurring on both sides. And, y'know, I think a case could be made (by someone more debate-skilled than I) that Schoelles Road guy should - indeed - be charged more for fire protection for his property & belongings. I see (online) that, a while back, he erected an additional 24' x 64' pole barn on his property. According to the building filing it is used to store a personal classic car collection. Clearly, fire protection is made more valuable to the owner because of that. Sure the assessment is juiced because of the structure... but (to my knowledge) there's no accommodation for the fire protection value for the contents. From what I could tell, I saw nothing suggesting that the PB was 'sprinklered'. Fire departments protect more than just structures for sure.

[WNYresident]

OK. We get it. You're almost as bad as Tony with his EC Dems stuff.

Bite your tongue... I have no clue what you are referring to.