Allegany County approves local law to exceed 2% tax cap

Bessette, LaForge, and Ricketts-Swales vote no

By Andrew Harris

A handful of residents and taxpayers took the podium today in Belmont during a public hearing to allow Allegany County to exceed the 2% NYS tax cap. Legislators have uniformly stated that they do not plan to raise taxes and that the current tentative budget for 2026 is under the 2% cap. County lawmakers have also been clear that the fiscal situation could change quickly with changes to the state and/or federal funding. Budget officers note that NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has warned that the state is bracing for a budget crisis and recent federal funding cuts are likely to continue.

All speakers pleaded, demanded, even teased legislators in an attempt to stop the measure from becoming local law.

Alfred farmer Jerry Snyder, expressed his outrage that the county was allowing a $150,000,000 solar farm to be built on good farmland with massive tax breaks, all while considering a measure to increase taxes over 2%.

Other speakers lamented that generational property won’t be able to be passed down, middle class living will disappear, and more families will move out of the county. Several noted that the hearing at 2pm on a weekday was inconvienent, one quipping that, “I had to take the day to be here, which really annoys me.”

Former Chairman Phil Stockin, also the Town of Canacadea supervisor addressed the hearing with a dose of reality. “Many local governments have passed just this sort of measure every year as standard practice…. I’ve advocated for it since I joined this board.”

Legislators Jan Burdick and Jennifer Ricketts-Swales also made comments, acknowleding the tough decision and the many constituents who have expressed frustrations. Burdick noted that those calls and letters are very important and taken very seriously. Burdick voted yes, Ricketts-Swales voted no.

Chairman W. Brooke Harris addressed the hearing with a blunt message about Allegany County: We are a poor county living in an expensive state. Harris went on to make the case that lawmakers first priority is to provide for the well-being of the residents of the county:

The Chairman’s statement acknowledged that with Allegany County has to recognize that state and federal funding sources are uncertain. The ability to raise taxes is the only insurance available against the uncertainty Allegany County maybe faced with in 2026.

Legislators voted the local law to exceed the 2% tax cap with 11 yes votes and 3 no votes.

After this public hearing another hearing was held to approve the pay increases for several department heads and county officials. Allegany County Democratic Committee Chairwoman Karen Ash was quick to mention this when she addressed the board.

A public hearing on the 2026 tentative budget was annouced after today’s legislative session. The Thursday November 20 at 7pm:

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON 2026 COUNTY TENTATIVE BUDGET

          NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Legislators of the County of Allegany will hold before it at 7:00 p.m. on November 20, 2025, in Room 221 of the County Office Building, 7 Court Street, Belmont, New York, a public hearing on the Tentative Budget of said County for its 2026 fiscal year which begins on January 1, 2026,  and ends December 31, 2026.

          Copies of the Tentative Budget are available on the County website at www.alleganyco.gov or in the office of the Clerk of the Board of Legislators at the County Office Building, Belmont, New York, during normal business hours, for the purposes of inspection or procurement by interested persons.

          NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the 2026 maximum salary for members of the Board of Legislators and the maximum salary that may be fixed and payable during said fiscal year 2026 to the Majority Leader, Minority Leader, and Board Chairman, are as follows: