Bee Editorial
Tax bills questioned as town levy increases
You open your mailbox and there it is, the 2007 tax bill from the Town of Amherst. With a grunt you open the paper, and your eyes dart to the general town tax line - an increase of approximately 13 percent.

But you remember reading in November that the 2007 tax rate was decreasing 3 percent - except for some 10,000 parcels where the assessment went up.

Supervisor Satish Mohan admits the tax levy for 2007 increased to $57 million, more than half of the total $112 million budget. He also said the savings for residents would be felt in other line items.

Residents have been calling the town hall confused about what they expected to see in their tax bills and what they got instead. The first step to understanding where your hard-earned money is going is to compare your 2006 tax bill to 2007.

This information is accessible on the town's Web site at http://www.amherst.ny.us. Residents should click on the subhead "Government," then "Departments," followed by "Town Clerk & Tax Receiver" and finally "Look up Town and County Tax Information and School Tax Information." We had some trouble finding it at first.

Our searches found the total amount due for several residents was more than in 2006. However, the Web site does not clarify if those parcels were among the 10,000 to have the assessment increased. This information was presented to Mohan, who said he is reviewing neighborhoods to make sure the tax bills represent the budget that was set for 2007.

Mohan was also asked about the varying percentages in the general town tax for each resident. Those figures will be presented after he has submitted them to us.

Did your assessment stay the same but your tax bill increase? That is the first question residents should be asking about their tax bills. When it comes to the Town of Amherst taxes, very few of the bills are alike due to different fire, sewer and water districts.

Dealing with a list of variables, it's difficult to conclude if there is a flaw in this year's tax bills. Be diligent and review your bill. Call the town hall with questions to understand why the numbers are appearing the way they are.

It has been disheartening for us in attempting to get straight answers from various levels of town government. We are hoping the matter will be cleared up, and residents can understand how they can be promised a tax savings but see a larger tax bill.

Don't accept at face value the number given to you. If in the end the total stays the same, at least you'll know why.