Letter to the Editor in today’s Press Republican concerning county government fiscal stress related to COVID-19
TO THE EDITOR: This is in regards to the April 7 article, “Davis, Stec share takes on state budget.”
To glean more local information, I read the Clinton County Legislatures minutes for March 26. These are the most recent published.
Therein one can read that our Clinton County Legislature is aware the state budget will be “grim” to the counties. The state will “reauthorize a county 1 percent sales tax increase” and “Clinton County will be under a considerable amount of fiscal stress throughout the remainder of 2020 and beyond.”
For the county, sales tax revenue estimates could be “short by $2.2 to $6.6 million. The county will have to find ways to get through this.”
Also of concern to us taxpayers should be the fact that under the new state budget Governor Cuomo has given himself the sole authority, if needed, to lower financial aid to the counties as he deems necessary. And, of course, this is trickle down hardships for the towns and City of Plattsburgh.
In some cases, “foreclosure actions due delinquent payment of property taxes for 2020 are postponed to 2021 due to present circumstances.” Of interest was genuine concern by Legislator Dame for the burden on taxpayers. I have witnessed this concern at previous meetings and the county, as a whole, will be void of this man’s concern when he departs.
What is of concern to me is that at this time, in the record, there is no position that the legislators and county treasurer have any intention to open and trim current budgeted items.
To wit, the Clinton County treasurer states “there really is no fat to cut off.” To that, the residents should interpret “read my lips, pay more taxes” unless the budget is reduced, cut, or modified.
GEOFFREY BAKER
Plattsburgh
Posted: April 13th, 2020 under County Government News, Heathcare News, Opinion.