The Allegany County Legislature on Thursday voted to approve the following resolution:
RESOLVED:
1. That the Allegany County Board of Legislators requests our State legislative representatives to introduce and seek passage, in the State Senate and Assembly, legislation to authorize the County of Allegany to continue the additional County sales tax rate of one and one-half percent for at least the period of December 1, 2025, through November 30, 2027.
2. That the Clerk of this Board is directed to send copies of this Resolution to Senator George M. Borrello, Senator Thomas F. O’Mara, and Assemblyman Joseph M. Sempoliski.
Legislator Jim Rumfelt of Andover and Legislator Gary Barnes of Wellsville opposed the plan. According to the resolution, the County of Allegany is presently at 63.94 percent of its constitutional taxing limit for real estate taxes; and the County of Allegany will be at 100 percent of such constitutional taxing limit if such additional sales tax is not reauthorized; and the County of Allegany has had no substantial growth in real estate assessed valuation in the past five years; Given the County of Allegany’s current economic situation and in order to preserve essential services, any substantial increase in real estate taxes would put in financial jeopardy the County’s large percentage of senior citizens with fixed incomes who would have no choice but to pay such taxes out of such fixed incomes.
