County officials ok sales tax hike
By Donna Comella

A strong majority of the county lawmakers agreed yesterday to raise sales tax to 8.25 percent.

The Wayne County Board of Supervisors heard only three people speak against the tax increase at a 1 p.m. public hearing - Dom Bartucca of Arcadia, Wayne County Treasurer Tom Warnick and Huron resident Greg Zimmer.

Bartucca told supervisors he thought raising the tax would be 'sending the wrong message to small businesses.' Zimmer told the board, 'Government can not continue to tax itself out of deficit.' But it was Warnick's remarks that caused a stir. He held a list of 280 foreclosure notices and asked supervisors why, when so many people can't pay their taxes, they were discussing raising taxes. Warnick said expenditures should be cut, and suggested that lawmakers stop spending money on such projects as the Erie Canal Cultural Center (ECCC) and the county recycling program.

Minutes later, when the public hearing ended and there was a brief recess, Planning Director Sharon Lilla confronted Warnick as he sat in the audience. An argument between Lilla and Warnick was cut brief when Warnick exited the building.

Lilla and supervisors came to the press table to correct some statements made by Warnick. As far as the list of foreclosures, Arcadia Supervisor Joe DeSanto said that 80 percent of those who will receive notices are notorious for paying late and will make good on their tax bills. Aside from that, DeSanto has previously said that the whole point of raising sales tax was to more evenly distribute the tax burden and not lay it all on property owners.

On the issue of the ECCC, Lilla and Rose Supervisor Carm Pascarella pointed out that the project thus far has cost the county only $38,000. The old JL Hammett building in Lyons is the site that will be renovated and re-constructed into the new cultural center. The over $2 million project is being funded by the U.S Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Pascarella said previously that he didn't understand why some are so willing to spend thousands on highways and not a penny on history and culture. Pascarella suggested that unless that mindset changes, the highways would mostly be used by our young people moving away.

As for recycling, Lilla said that Warnick 'should get his facts and figures straight' before he discusses the program. Lilla, who also heads the Waste Management Authority, said that although the market for some recyclables has not been good, that trend is reversing. Lilla said that HDPE (plastic) is selling at $380 per ton - up from $150/ton just one year ago. DeSanto added that, although the county has had to assist the program financially, that the decision to do so was the environmentally responsible thing to do.

As for the sales tax, there were four supervisors opposed: Dave Lyon (Palmyra), Dave Spickerman (Butler), John Young (Huron), and Jim Fabino (Lyons).

Spickerman called the tax increase a 'Band-Aid fix' and said he wanted more cuts to the 2004 budget. (See separate story in print issue.) DeSanto told him that it was indeed a 'Band-Aid fix,' but a much needed one until supervisors could sort out budgetary problems. Spickerman suggested one way to save money was to stop giving the school districts $5.4 million in sales tax revenue. 'Let's keep that money and let everybody take care of their own budget.'

With each supervisor carrying a weighted vote reflective of his/her town population, the opposing four only managed a vote of 819 of 4225. The other 11 supervisors approved the tax.

For months, county officials have laid the groundwork to hike sales tax from 3 percent to 4 percent. In June, the state raised sales tax from 4 to 4.25 percent, so currently, Wayne County residents pay 7.25 percent. Beginning March 2004, that rate will be 8.25 percent. With the exception of Ontario County, most surrounding counties already pay that rate.

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