Total assessment program removed
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

In an attempt to save money and re-evaluate the Town of Amherst's assessment policy, Supervisor Satish Mohan removed funding for GAR Associates and ended the town's annual reassessment program.

The move was supported by the Town Board and reflected in the finalized 2007 budget. GAR Associates was the firm the town consulted on the reassessments.

Town Assessor Harry Williams said the new assessment rate has not been determined. The rate has been 100 percent for the past seven years.

"I have been talking to the state, and I don't know the new rate but it could be 90 percent, it could be 87 percent," he said.

Although there will be many consequences from ending the total reassessment program, which generated a $211,000 grant from the state, Williams said one of the biggest issues affected will be exemptions.

He said 36,000 parcels allowed some type of exemption will be receiving less due to the lowering of the rate. There could be a 5 to 10 percent drop depending on the new rate.

Other consequences could be a rise in the tax rate due to revenue loss, less sales tax from Erie County for the Williamsville School District and the town, and a reduction in services.

Schools will also have to adjust their budget process for 2008, which has been based on a 100 percent assessment. Williams said there was some concern that this change could affect programming in schools because of the loss of revenue. It could also cause a rise in school taxes to make up the difference.

Williams said he would like to get employees in the field more often, but mileage allowances raise additional issues. He added that his department could possibly start a program to gather housing information from residents and review how the town would handle its 43,000 parcels.

In other Town Board budget matters, the board reviewed a tape from the Nov. 20 meeting to decide if it had intended to approve a resolution sponsored by Dan Ward that would have made town departments responsible for costs exceeding the tentative budget's bottom line.

After listening to themselves on tape, board members agreed to change the Nov. 20 minutes to reflect that a vote was not taken to make the departments responsible for additional costs.

The question was one of many that arose during the final hours before the budget was due. Ultimately the board did not vote on the 2007 budget, and a default budget went into effect.

The next Town Board meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 18 at town hall, 5583 Main St.