CLIFTON
PARK REPUBLICAN CHAIRMAN VEHEMENTLY OPPOSES PROPOSED SARATOGA COUNTY
SALES TAX INCREASE.
November 11, 2011
Saratoga County released their budget proposal for 2012 which
includes a 1% sales tax increase.
Clifton Park Republican Chairman voiced his strong opposition
to the proposal saying “This
proposed sales tax increase will have a devastating impact on the
residents of Clifton Park and Saratoga County.”
Clifton Park in southern Saratoga County has several retail
businesses that have customers coming across the county lines from
Schenectady and Albany counties because of Saratoga County’s 7%
sales tax. He continued
“I like many other residents
consistently shop locally in Saratoga County because of the low tax
rate and when people stop spending employers will be forced to lay
off employees. In these
tough economic times our government should not be jeopardizing local
businesses and their employees.”
The impact of this sales tax increase will hurt retailers
throughout the County.
Many people in Clifton Park and neighboring towns choose to shop in
Wilton instead of at Crossgates in Albany County because of the
lower sales tax. In the
Saratogian newspaper this week it was reported that Peter Aust
President of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce indicated
businesses in Warren and Washington counties would benefit from the
move. Mr. Aust also
said it could mean big business booms for the Factory Outlets of
Lake George and Aviation Mall.
Chairman Telesh added “We
should not be helping the economy of neighboring counties, but
should be worried about our neighbors who can’t afford to be taxed
even more. People
overwhelmingly favored a 2% property tax cap recently passed by the
State. What people
don’t favor is trading one source of taxation for another.
People expected that government would tighten their belts
after the cap was passed.
This is a regressive tax increase that will
disproportionately hurt lower income families. There are other ways
for the County to balance their budget and that is what the Board of
Supervisors should be working on.
Increasing taxes should not be the first solution before
making sustentative cuts”
As Republicans our candidates ran as fiscal conservatives and it is
disappointing that one day after Election Day candidates who were
supported by Republican committees and voters are finding out about
this plan after the fact.
Chairman Telesh stated
“…As a taxpayer and resident I feel like this is a November
surprise. If the Board
of Supervisors thought the people of Saratoga County would support
the sales tax increase then they would have proposed their plan
before the election and not after.
I encourage all residents to voice their concerns at the
scheduled public meeting on December 1st at 5:30 in
Ballston Spa.”
The Clifton Park Republican Committee will be taking up a
formal resolution opposing the increase of the sales tax next week
at a special meeting for that purpose.
Chairman Telesh stated
“I expect the resolution to pass overwhelmingly as my phone has not
stopped ringing since the news of this budget proposal broke.”