Questions & Answers Section
This page is dedicated to answering
your question from our last meeting.
Question:
So, which is it, will we save money or will it cost us money to dissolve?
Answer: A
crystal ball is the only thing that can answer that question with perfect
certainty before a plan is drafted and implemented. There is a small
chance we could save up to a couple hundred dollars on a $150,000 home if
negotiations for sewers and water go extremely well and we are able to sell
our assets, such as the Water Mill, Meeting House and DPW capital for a
significant profit. We do not think this is likely because Town and
Village officials have both stated that significant sewer and water
improvements will be needed and that these will be paid for by Village
taxpayers. Our report indicates that making reasonable
assumptions based on what we know, there is a possibility that we could pay
more by dissolving. It is certain that there is no way to save the
entire village tax bill, and if there are any savings, they are most likely
to be minimal.
Question: What statements can your group make that are certain?
Answer: We are sure it does not
cost $932 more a year in property taxes and fees on a $150,000 house to live
in the village as Gaugahn stated.
We know Village residents cannot save most of the village tax bill by
dissolving. Village residents will not get the same services if the
village is dissolved.
Question:
You keep talking about a civil conversation based on facts, what does that
mean?
Answer: It
means that within certain parameters we can have a reasonable conversation
about what dissolving the village means.
For example:
-
It is not
reasonable to suggest that we pay $932 more.
-
It is not
reasonable to tell residents that they can save their entire village
tax bill.
-
It is not
reasonable to suggest that we can dissolve the village and have
nothing change.
-
It is reasonable
to believe you could save $100-$200 a year on a $150,000 house if
negotiations go
-
It is reasonable
that we could pay up to $100 more a year if they don't.
-
It is reasonable
to suggest that basic services will still be provided by the Town of
Amherst.
Question:
Do you really respect every persons right to decide?
Answer:
Yes. It is the beauty of a democracy.
We are allowed to decide based on whatever criteria we choose without
condemnation. If you care about the additional services and added home
value provided by the village more than savings, then you most likely
already made up your mind to protect village life...and maybe you have a
sign on your lawn. If any savings is more important than service, ok.
If you just hate government in all forms then vote accordingly. If you
have a vision for the future of our larger community that mandates that the
Village of Williamsville dissolve as a first step towards something bigger,
that's great too.
Our goal from the
beginning, which was to not be disappointed by the outcome or blinded by the
lies of the politicians and Kevin Gaughan is being fulfilled. We have
dismissed the lies that were spewed by those with an agenda.
At this point, everyone
in the Village of Williamsville Citizen Study Group is now comfortable
saying how they will vote. If it matters to you the decision
that members of our group have made and how we made them come to our
meeting on Sunday, August 15th from 3 - 4 PM.
Why are our water rates so high?
The cost we pay for water (the rate increased from
$4.67 to $4.87 per 1000 gallons used this year) is NOT just for cost of water.
The village has one bill for water that includes the
cost for water and infrastructure, including repair and replacement of water
lines, water testing and fire hydrants.
It is confusing, since sewers are not treated this
way. We pay on our water/sewer bill for water usage and infrastructure
improvements, but only for sewer usage. We pay for sewer infrastructure
repairs through the sewer tax. If the village is dissolved our water
bill WILL go DOWN because we will only pay ECWA for water. Our town tax
bill will go up because we will pay other aspects of maintaining the system.
The village has applied for an efficiency grant
to study turning the water system over to ECWA. A good deal will
lower our water rate and limit the infrastructure costs associated with
upgrading the system to ECWA standards.
Financial Questions
How much will I save if the village is dissolved?
You would not save your total
village tax bill. We would still pay
for sewer, roads, snow plowing, garbage, drainage, fire protection, etc, which
would be collected by the town as special district taxes.
It is impossible to even save the on average $170 in additional taxes we
currently pay as village residents, since we would continue to pay village debt
and in dissolving there would be increased costs for sewer and water
infrastructure.
Is the $170 difference constant across house values or proportional? (i.e.
$170 for a $160,000 house, $340 for a $320,000 house, $85 for an $80,000 house).
The relationship is neither constant nor exactly
proportional. The $170 represents an average of the additional amount paid per
similarly assessed parcel in the Village compared with a parcel in the Town.
Many factors exist that affect the difference in actual taxes between in
the Town of
Amherst
and homes in the Village (tax issues are not simple!).
The difference may depend, for example, on such circumstances as:
1.
Whether or not the Village home has recently appreciated in value;
or
2.
The location of the comparison home within the Town of
Amherst
. The town has many special service
districts, so two
Amherst
homes with the same value may have different property taxes if they are in
different special service districts.
In addition, the application of
tax rates do not always appear to be exactly proportional to the dollar value
assessed. Village tax rates and
costs are set according to the previous year’s assessment, so two Village
homes valued similarly in year two may have different tax burdens if the
assessment in the previous year varied.
That is the long way to get to the
point…the $170 determined in the study is the average difference for the 109
comparisons made between homes assessed approximately the same value within the
Village and outside the Village within the Town of
Amherst
.
Pending lawsuits against the town for sinking homes, are we
included now in the liability? Would
we be?
We have not received a
satisfactory answer to this question yet.
Would our own police for one square mile of coverage be cheaper
than what percentage we pay to
Amherst
?
We currently
pay for police service in the Village. There
would be no cost savings to police protection.
Does the Village provide better service than the town?
It is difficult to provide a factual answer to
this question since personal experiences may differ.
The village provides more services than the town, including sidewalk
plowing, events, stump grinding, beautification, etc.
The village is also structured differently to provide service.
The village has a DPW Department with more flexibility for workers to
perform multiple tasks – so the same worker who cuts grass and snowplows may
also collect garbage on
Main Street
. The town has a Highway Department
where workers are more bound by job descriptions.
The village also relies on volunteers who help get things done.
The town has committees, but relies on employees.
How do the “big 3” expenditures compare with what our expenses would
be if we were absorbed?
We believe that the expenses associated with
garbage pickup would remain the same since we currently share the same contract
with the Town of
Amherst
.
A study is underway to evaluate the feasibility of
creating a sewer district that would include residents of
Amherst
, Clarence and the
Village
of
Williamsville
. The study is not complete, so it
is not yet determined if there will be cost savings in the short or long term
for village residents. This could
happen whether or not the Village is dissolved.
The current village water system
is in need of repair. We pay a
higher water rate because we pay for both water and infrastructure improvements
through our water rate. If the
system is turned over to Erie County Water, there are repairs and upgrades that
must be done to comply with their terms. The
cost for necessary infrastructure improvements would be charged to village
residents. Our water rates would go
down. The question is how much would
we pay for infrastructure improvements through a special district?
We will know the projected cost soon through a report to be released by a
consultant hired by the Village.
Who would pay off village debt if we were to be absorbed by the town?
The law is clear, any debt that is not accept by
the town as part of the dissolution plan remains a direct charge to village
residents. The Town of
Amherst Supervisor
and Board Members are clear –
Amherst
will not ask town residents to pay for Village debts.
Therefore, Village taxpayers will pay the debt until it is retired.
This debt could be reduced if the Village is able to sell assets to
either outside parties or to the Town, if it is dissolved.
When calculating the value of a Special District, do they include things
other than “services” For example, would the village’s unique and
convenient stores and shops make our taxes higher in the village?
No. Properties
are taxed, not people or businesses.
Won’t it cost the Town of
Amherst
more, i.e. more highway dept. employees?
Yes. The
Town of
Amherst
pays their highway workers more than the
Village
of
Williamsville
pays DPW workers. It would be up to
the town how many workers to add. The
Town would receive more tax revenue, however, from the Village.
If dissolved, what will property owners have to pay annually to pay off
the debt?
The total village debt is
approximately $4.7 million. This
amount will be paid by liquidating assets or through village property taxes.
Houses pay tax based on assessed value so the exact amount each homeowner
would pay is variable based on assessed value.
Does the study differentiate the commercial/retail/professional office
buildings as well as residences in the comparative tax basis between village and
Amherst?
The study compared only tax burdens on single-family
residential properties. We did not look at the tax cost differential
between comparably assessed office and commercial buildings.
Parks
Would village parks be closed due to the number of them and
the value of the land they occupy?
The village currently has 5 parks in one square
mile. Parks can not be sold without
New York
State
permission. The town has 33 parks
in 52 square miles. Town elected
officials indicated that Village parks would become Town property and be lumped
in with town parks for maintenance and capital improvements.
Normal park maintenance, such as cutting grass would be performed by town
employees. It is not clear if
additional town employees would need to be hired for normal maintenance.
Capital improvements to parks in
Amherst
are based on need and financial resources.
Village parks would compete with the 33 town parks if capital
improvements or repairs are needed.
Government
What happens to our present elected officials?
If the village residents vote to
dissolve Village, elected officials would be gone.
Our level of representation would go from 1 representative for
approximately 1000 residents to 1 representative for every 17,000 residents as
part of the Town of
Amherst
.
What happens to our “Village identity”?
The Village would become a hamlet.
Services
What happens to our plowed sidewalks?
There will be no sidewalk plowing service.
The Town of
Amherst
law states that residents are responsible for clearing the snow on sidewalks in
front of their homes.
Does it pay for us to recycle?
Yes.
Who would pick up leaves and when?
Under the garbage contract,
leaves and yard debris can be left at the curb in open cans or yard bags to be
picked up weekly in both the town and the village.
The Village allows residents to rake leaves to the curb where they are
picked up by the DPW. The Town of
Amherst
has a law prohibiting leaves from being raked to the curb and asks that
residents dispose of them in proper containers.
We would follow the town rules for leaves.
General
Not all areas of the town are appealing.
Also we do not need a high-rise building in our village.
How is that affected?
The Town of
Amherst
has its own community plan and zoning codes.
The Village zoning code would be rescinded within 2 years of dissolution.
We would operate under the Town of
Amherst Code
, which does allow highrise buildings in some areas, whether it would permit a
building on
Main Street
would be determined by how the Town of
Amherst
zoned the village after dissolution.
What happens to structures owned by the village? (parks,
meeting house, etc.)
A Plan for dissolution must include plans of all
assets: including the Mill, the Meeting House, Village Hall and Fire Department,
DPW Barn, as well as all fixtures and equipment.
The Village can sell the assets to the town or a private purchaser.
Will developers have more power to build a high-rise, such as at
Main
and Garrison?
This would be determined by how
the Town of
Amherst
zoned the area that is currently the Village.
0.4% budget for the Mill. Is
the building to the south of the Mill “part of the Mill”?
The 0.4% covers minimal operating costs for the
Mill and the building to the south, which is also owned by the Village.
What are the differences in the variance boards between
village and town?
We have not undertaken a systematic comparison of
the village and town codes. However,
the Amherst Variance Board will take over the responsibility of the Village
Variance Board if the Village is dissolved.
What is the difference in the requirements for contractors in the Village
vs.
Amherst
?
We have not completed a comparative analysis of
the boards and codes at this time.
What happens to all village committees?
Village Committees would be dissolved along with
the village.
Could we prevent the town from selling the Mill, the Meeting House, DPW
building, village owned park?
The village has to sell or transfer ownership of
the Mill, Meeting House, DPW building and parks.
If they choose to sell or transfer ownership to the town then the town
has the ability to sell or transfer the properties.
Park land can not be sold without
New York
State
approval.
Who would maintain the dam?
Water level is critical in the creek.
The Town of
Amherst
would maintain the dam.
What will happen to our housing values if we are no longer a village?
We are currently undertaking a study of property
sales in and outside the village to ascertain the value of village properties
compared to similar town properties at sale.
This will give us an idea of the effect dissolution will have on property
values.
What is the advantage to the Town of having the Village dissolve?
Why would the town want the Village to become part of their town?
What is the motive?
The town would receive more revenue.
The Town would have more expenses as well.
The village is 2% of total land area and approximately 3% of the town
population. There is no great motive
for the Town to take over the Village affairs.
Do we lose our right to control our zoning if we give up our village
status? If so, what happens to our
Main Street
?
Yes. The
zoning and building codes would be determined by the town.
Main Street
development would be guided by the town building and zoning code.
Is the postal zip code 14221 consistent with the geographic area called
the
village
of
Williamsville
as an administrative entity?
No. The
postal code encompasses many areas that are not part of the village.
The village is only one square mile.
It is roughly
Main Street
from Union to
Farber Lane
, the Cheektowaga boarder with
Amherst
at the creek to Evans just short of
Sheridan
.
Should an evaluation be made of quality of services –as
well as your study’s quantitative information?
Quality of services is subjective.
It is difficult to make factual statements since peoples’ experience
may be different. In cases where we
have unanimous agreement from a representative group we will make informed
factual statements on the quality of service.
Is the $170 of additional taxes per year figure that was used
in this presentation accurate? I listened to the entire presentation and I
heard Vic say multiple times that he was unable to verify many of the actual
costs and numbers so how can this be an accurate estimate? Someone in the
audience actually pointed out that the numbers on the example used in the
presentation didn’t even total correctly.
The comparison is a fair and accurate. The
point of this comparison was to see what the "out of pocket" expense
in taxes was for Williamsville Residents. Based on an accurate and fair
comparison of 109 properties, on average a village resident pays $170 more a
year than a town resident. It was NOT a comparison of one property
as some thought. It is NOT exactly what a tax payer in the village with
a house assessed at $160,000 pays in relation to every other house in the town
of Amherst (since there are houses assessed at $160,000 in different special
districts with different special district taxes).
Is this analysis truly unbiased?
It is unbiased. It answers the
question how much do we pay in taxes more/or less than our neighbors in the
town? The formula for comparison is certainly unbiased and creates the
best apples to apples comparison of town and village properties.
Do the research participants have a desired outcome?
The desired outcome of our group is to know
the cost of living in the village as it relates to the service we get and
compare that to the cost of living in the Town of Amherst (if residents want
to dissolve the village) and relate that to the service we would get.
There was no desired outcome for the numbers. The formula was determined
by the graduate students for a grade. If you search around you will see
that in the first preliminary comparison that our group did it appeared that
village residents only paid on average $35 more a year, however that original
formula did not adequately reflect the cost of sewer taxes for
village residents. The graduate students spent many hours with village
and town administrators to make sure the formula for comparison was accurate.
If we were so concerned about the outcome, we could have left the sewer tax
off and spoken loudly about a number around $35 more a year. We didn't.
Is
the Village currently considering turning over the water department to the
county?
Yes. The Erie County Water
Authority has specific requirements for the water system before it can be
turned over. To make the improvements will cost money. We
currently pay a high rate for water, but that must be compared to the cost of
improving the system to ECWA standards. The Village is currently studying the
issue again with hopes of restarting negotiations with ECWA. If the
village is dissolved ECWA gets the water system. They will determine the
needed improvements and charge village residents.
Is
the village currently considering turning over the building dept to the town?
We are told that the village and the town
are negotiating for town building inspectors to do inspections in the village.
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