MAYVILLE – The effort to raise the county’s sales tax by .5 percent now rests in the hands of the New York State legislature.
On Wednesday night the Chautauqua County Legislature voted 14 to 4 on a resolution requesting the state give permission for the county to raise the total sales tax from 7.5 to 8 percent. Republican legislators John Hemmer (Westfield), Terry Niebel (Dunkirk), and John Runkle (Stockton) voted against the measure, as did democrat Janet Keefe (Fredonia).
According to county executive Vince Horrigan, the increase is the best way to provide property tax relief for residents while also closing a looming $5.7 million shortfall in the 2016 county budget. He said if the sales tax increase were approved, it’s projected to provide an additional $7.8 million in additional revenue in 2016.
In order for any sales tax increase to take place, it must be approved by both the state Senate and the Assembly and signed by the governor.
The current sales tax in Chautauqua County does include a clothing tax exemption of up to $100, as well as a home energy exemption. Horrigan says that if the increase were granted, both exemptions would still remain in effect. The county sales tax has remained at 7.5 percent since 2005.
Of the 17 counties in Western New York, only Chautauqua and Ontario counties have a sales tax that is below 8 percent.
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