Village of Williamsville Citizens Study Group

VILLAGE RESIDENTS WILL NOT SAVE MONEY BY DISSOLVING...

SPECIAL DISTRICTS (SD) ARE WHY!!!

Villagers may not know...But town residents pay SPECIAL DISTRICT TAXES that we don't...

So what are these SD charges and how were they calculated???

We used:

The current rates for special districts in Snyder to calculate sewer and drainage;

Fire protection is based on what residents served by the Williamsville Fire Department outside the village pay;

Garbage, Lighting and Highway are town wide charges;

Our calculation for water was based on negotiations with Erie County Water for what will need to be done

if they are to take us over.

The wild cards are sewers and water...they will determine if we have a slight tax savings or if it costs us money to dissolve.

To read the full report click the link below

Effects of Dissolution Report

Here is what we found and reported on May 2nd at our public meeting:

The facts on the Village of Williamsville…

Village residents are not double taxed by the Village and Town.
Village residents pay a Village tax for services supplied by the Village and a part Town tax for services supplied by the Town.
Village residents do not pay special district taxes like Town residents.
Village residents pay on average $170 more per year than Town residents.
The largest Village expenses are sewer, water and garbage.
The salary of Village Trustees and the Mayor are .4% of the budget.

The facts if Village residents vote to dissolve…

Village assets including: Village Hall, The Mill, The Historic Meeting House, DPW Buildings would be sold to the Town or a third party.
Village debt will be paid by Village taxpayers.
The Town Community Plan, Zoning Board and Building Code would determine village character and plans for future development.
Village Committees would not continue.
Representation would go from 1 representative in 1000 residents to 1 resident for every 17,000 residents.
Sidewalk plowing would be discontinued and residents would be responsible for snow removal on sidewalks in front of their homes.
Village parks would become Town parks.
The garbage contract would remain the same, but refuse "pick up services" for metal and leaves would change.
Sewer Services would continue.
Water service would be turned over to the Erie County Water Authority.
Storm drainage service would remain unchanged.
Fire protection would continue.
Police protection would be provided as before.
Village residents would not save the entire Village tax bill, since a majority goes to pay for sewers, water, garbage, roads, plowing and fire protection.

Our informed opinions based on the facts…if Village residents vote to dissolve…

The Village has two choices for properties and assets: Sell them to the Town or sell them to a third party. In either case, the Village would not get full market value for the properties. The sale of properties to the Town could reduce the debt to be paid by Village residents.
Village residents would pay Village debts until retired. The Town would not ask Amherst taxpayers to pay past village debts or debts for sewer and water infrastructure necessary to dissolve the Village.
The Village Code would expire within 2 years of dissolution. The Town of Amherst Community Plan, Zoning Board and Building Code would not adequately address future development in the Village.
Fire protection would remain unchanged. The Town would create a fire district consistent with the current area covered.
The 5 Village parks would not be sold without permission from the State of New York. Village parks would become town parks. There are currently more than 30 Town parks that compete for resources and improvements based on need and financial resources. Capital improvements to parks would be diminished due to increased competition for resources with Town parks.
Sewer service would continue either under the Town as a special district or through a Sewer District encompassing Amherst, Clarence and the Village of Williamsville, if negotiations are successful.
The Erie County Water Authority would take over the Village water system. Rates for water would decrease, but capital improvements would be needed. In dissolution, the Village’s negotiating power would be diminished and capital improvements to the system would be determined by ECWA. The cost for improvements would be paid by Village residents.
Snow plowing in the village may be less responsive. The Village snow plowing routes complete snow removal in 6 hours. The Town snow plowing routes complete snow removal in 8 hours.
Village residents would not see significant tax savings through dissolution since specials districts would be created and current debt would remain with village taxpayers. The tax savings from dissolving the Village would be determined by the profits from the sale of assets, the elimination of services and the jobs that go with them.

Our official reports (click on links below)

Government Official Opinions

Property Tax Comparison

Tax Comparison Presentation

Taxes if Dissolved

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If there is a specific question you would like answered please email us at info@willvillstudy.com and we will do our best to answer.

“New N.Y. Government Reorganization

and Citizen Empowerment Act.”

Summary

This law was signed by Governor Paterson in June, 2009 and takes effect in March 21^st of 2010. It amends Article 19 of New York State Village Law changing the requirements for dissolving a village. Below is a sketch of how the process will work.

The Dissolution Process can be started two ways…

A resolution passed by a majority of the governing body (Board of Village Trustee’s) endorsing an already completed dissolution plan.
A petition signed by ten percent (10%) of registered village voters.

If initiated by petition the process continues…

Within ten (10) days the Clerk must determine if the number of signatures needed is met.
If the signature requirement is met, the Village Board has thirty (30) days to enact a resolution calling for a referendum on the question, “Shall the Village of Williamsville be dissolved?”

If registered voters of the Village of Williamsville vote “NO” on the referendum…

Another petition can not be filed for at least 4 years.

If registered voters of the Village of Williamsville vote “YES” on the referendum…

The Village Board will meet within thirty (30) days to begin the process of creating a dissolution plan.
The plan must be completed within one hundred eighty (180) days of the meeting by the Village Board. The comprehensive plan must address and resolve all issues related the operation of Village government.
Upon completion of the plan public hearings are to be held and amendments can be made with a final plan with sixty (60) days of the public hearing.

If registered voters of the Village of Williamsville want to stop the APPROVED dissolution plan from taking effect (the plan could have initiated with a village board resolution or been started by a referendum vote)…

Within forty five (45) days from final approval of the dissolution plan residents can file a petition with the clerk containing signatures of twenty five (25%) of registered voters who want to stop the plan from being implemented.

If a petition is filed with adequate signatures…

A second referendum shall take place with in sixty (60) to ninety (90) days of the petition filing asking the question, “Shall the initiated dissolution plan take effect?”

If registered voters vote “YES” on the referendum…

The dissolution plan takes effect.

If registered voters vote “NO” on the referendum…

The dissolution plan does not take effect. The legal opinion is that the Village Board has fulfilled their obligation and does not have to produce another plan. However, it is also the opinion that petitions can be filed again immediately to start the process over with another vote on the question, “Should the Village of Williamsville be dissolved?”