By Tyler Briggs
Olean Times Herald
As news broke last week of each town’s portion of taxes due to the county, which showed almost a 5 percent increase for Portville, town officials are wondering why.
The town will hold a public budget hearing starting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Weston’s Mills Community Center, where officials will propose the same tax levy for 2010, $509,999, that residents saw in 2009.
“There’s no reduction in service and we will remain fiscally sound,” Town Supervisor Terry Keeley wrote in an e-mail.
But what’s with the county’s proposed tax hike for Portville?
“Our basic question is, if we can do it, why does our county portion of taxes have to rise to 4.8 percent?” he asked. “More specifically, why should the county budget rise at all? It is curious why various towns, cities and the county continue to raise taxes in this volatile economy and pose increased risk to our property owners and citizens.”
