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Oneida County might cut sales tax
County taxpayers now pay 9.5 percent sales tax. Griffo presents budget plan today.
Monday, October 03, 2005
By Glenn Coin
Staff writer

Oneida County officials today will unveil a 2006 budget plan that may reduce the county sales tax - the highest in the state.

County Executive Joe Griffo's office declined to reveal details of the budget. Griffo spokesman Brian Adey said Griffo will try to stick to a plan Griffo outlined in July to trim the sales tax by 1 percentage point beginning in December 2006.

"Our intent is to mirror the fiscal forecast we presented this summer," Adey said.

That forecast called for rolling back the sales tax rate from 9.5 percent to 9 percent in December 2006, then to 8.5 percent in September 2007.

Griffo also said in July that he plans to cut 100 county jobs and begin collecting sales taxes from Oneida Indian Nation businesses next March.

The Oneida County Board of Legislators has the final say on the budget.

Legislators in October 2004 voted to raise the local sales tax from 4 percent to 5.5 percent. That extra money was needed for spiraling Medicaid costs, Griffo and legislators said.

State sales tax is an additional 4 percent.

Oneida County's extra 1.5 percent sales tax took effect in April. Griffo said in July, however, that the county might be able to trim that tax increase because the state will cap Medicaid spending for counties.