In what may have been the shortest meeting on record for voting on a county budget, the legislature approved the spending plan as amended by the Audit and Control Committee earlier this month. That plan found more than $700,000 in savings from the budget that was initially submitted by County Executive Vince Horrigan in September. As a result, the tax rate for property owners in 2015 will be $9.15 per $1000- a two-cent decrease from the current year’s rate and 11 cents lower than what Horrigan had proposed in his executive spending plan.

Lawmakers made no comments prior to voting on the budget, which was the only item on the agenda for the 6:30 portion of the monthly meeting. The legislature had convened  the meeting earlier on Wednesday to deal with non-budgetary items.

Following the meeting, Horrigan said he was fine with the changes and had no plans to veto any of the ten amendments that were approved by lawmakers.

In September, County Executive Vince Horrigan presented a $228.7 million budget that included a one percent increase in property taxes – with a tax rate increase that would equal 7 cents per thousand dollar assessed value.

However, County Legislature and Audit and Control Committee Chairman John Runkle tells WRFA that his committee was able to identify 10 amendments to the initial spending proposal that would result in a net savings of $771,560.

Those proposed amendments are as follows:

• $120,000 reduction in Sheriff’s Department Budget due to phone surcharge savings
• $100,000 increase in projected Sales Tax revenue
• Reduce CARTS Spending by $46,000 as a result of 2015 grant
• Decrease Jail Utility Costs by $21,000
• Reduce Environmental Health budget by $27,250 due to miscalculation
• Reduce Department of Social Services administrative budget by $100,000
• Reduce Public Defenders budget by $50,000
• Anticipate a state aid reimbursement of $400,000 for Health and Human Services budget
• Decrease Office for the Aging budget by $50,000
• Add $150,000 in additional revenue to the Department of Public Facilities’ Capital Reserve Fund

As a result, the tax rate would actually see a 2 cent per thousand dollar decrease, compared to the 2014 tax rate.

The legislature will allow the public to comment on the budget prior to the vote. A public comment is scheduled for both 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. during today’s meetings.

Last month County Executive Vince Horrigan presented a $228.7 million dollar budget that includes a 1 percent increase in the property tax rate.

However, according to an article in Thursday’s Jamestown Post-Journal, the legislature’s audit and control committee have been able to identify more than $920,000 in adjustments, which would result in a slight decrease in property taxes – seeing the rate go down by 2 cents per thousand assessed value.

Among the adjustments is a $500,000 cut in the Department of Health and Human Services budget, a $127,000 cut in the Sheriff’s Office, a $50,000 cut in the office for the Aging, and a $50,000 cut in the public defender’s budget. Lawmakers also increased the sales tax revenue line by $100,000.

The entire legislature will review the budget recommendations from Audit and Control during the Oct. 22 voting session. At that point any final adjustments will be made, prior the an expected vote on the budget.

Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan.

MAYVILLE – Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan has released his 2015 executive budget, which includes an overall reduction in spending but also contains a slight increase in property taxes.

On Wednesday night Horrigan presented his budget to members of the Chautauqua County Legislature and the public. The tentative $228.7 million spending plan is $449,000 lower than the current year’s budget. But despite the decrease in spending, the county was still faced with significant budget gap.

Horrigan is suggesting the county use $4.5 million from the county’s fund balance to close the gap. In addition, he said the county will also need to increase the tax levy in order to balance overall spending.

“My budget proposes a 1 percent increase in property taxes to narrow the gap,” Horrigan said. “The bottom line is that we are asking, in this tentative budget, for a nine cents per thousand increase over assessed value… for the owner of a home valued at $100,000, the increase in property tax will be just over nine dollars per year.”

Horrigan also said that he and his staff were able to find more than $2 million in efficiencies in the 2015 budget. That was largely due to the sale earlier this year of the Chautauqua County Home, along with readjusting staffing in several county departments.

In all, the new budget sees a net reduction of 163 positions. A total of 197 positions will be cut once the sale of the home is finalized, which is expected to take place next month. However, Horrigan is also introducing 34 new positions, with 25 of those being supported entirely through state or federal grants or through collaboration agreements with neighboring counties.

• 2015 EXECUTIVE BUDGET
• HORRIGAN’S 2015 BUDGET PRESENTATION

PLANNING FOR FUTURE YEARS

In addition to presenting next year’s budget, Horrigan also explained to lawmakers that they need to also prepare for future years’ budgets. That includes a plan that helps to rebuild the remaining fund balance by increasing other revenue streams. Horrigan said the county can bolster both its sales tax and bed tax revenues through a stepped up tourism campaign, done in partnership with the Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau and Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce.

“Tonight I am announcing an “I Love Chautauqua” digital media advertising campaign,” Horrigan said. “This will be a citizen-based contest with business sponsorship to collect the best Youtube video and photos to promote Chautauqua County through the eyes of our citizens. We talking “I Love Chautauqua” going viral!”

Horrigan said the county will also work to continue its economic development marketing campaign, in an effort to develop new business.

With the presentation of the budget, the spending plan is now in the county legislature’s hands. It has until Dec. 1 to amend and approve a final spending plan, which would then return to Horrigan’s desk for his signature.

WRFA will have more on the county budget, including Horrigans entire budget presentation along with his Q&A with the media, during this week’s Community Matters program, which begins at 6 p.m. Thursday.  We will also hear from Jamestown Legislator Chuck Nazaro to get his reaction to the spending plan.

As WRFA reported earlier this week, Horrigan’s budget will focus on several things, including:

• investing in an offensive economic development strategy;
• protecting our watersheds;
• coordinating health care and substance abuse initiatives;
• privatizing our Chautauqua County Home;
• and implementing cost containment resources to target welfare fraud and rising public defender costs.

Horrigan says he will also recommend the county use a portion of its available fund balance to keep the budget under the property tax cap.

After Horrigan presents his budget, the Chautauqua County Legislature will have the opportunity to amend and finalize the spending plan. A budget must be in place by December 1.

Horrigan’s presentation will take place tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the Legislative Chambers of the Gerace Office Building. The meeting is open to the public. The budget presentation will also be featured this week on WRFA’s Community Matters program, which airs Thursdays at 6pm and Sundays at Noon.

Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan.

MAYVILLE – Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan (R-Bemus Point) will roll out his first tentative budget as county executive later this week when the Chautauqua County Legislature convenes in Mayville.

Horrigan’s budget presentation will take place on Wednesday, September 24 at 6:30 p.m. in the Legislative Chambers of the Gerace Office Building. In a preview of his budget, Horrigan said that it will focus on several things, including

• investing in an offensive economic development strategy;
• protecting our watersheds;
• coordinating health care and substance abuse initiatives;
• privatizing our Chautauqua County Home;
• and implementing cost containment resources to target welfare fraud and rising public defender costs.

Horrigan says he will also recommend the county use a portion of its available fund balance to keep the budget under the property tax cap.

A copy of the 2015 Tentative Budget will be available on Thursday, September 25 on the Finance Department’s website at www.co.chautauqua.ny.us/213/Finance.

After Horrigan presents his budget, the Chautauqua County Legislature will have the opportunity to make any change, prior to approving a final budget before the December 1 deadline.

Chautauqua County Sheriff Joe Gerace met with members of the Public Safety committee last week and went over his tentative budget. According to recent reports, the Sheriff has said that the biggest increases in spending for next year are due to scheduled increases in salaries, along with rising costs associated with operating the county jail – which has seen a record-number of local inmates during the current year.

Lawmakers will consider changes to the sheriff’s office budget as part of the overall 2015 budget deliberations.