City Council hears plans to reduce 2025 tax increase by just over one-half...
Some additional work by city lawmakers and the administration has allowed Jamestown's proposed 2025 tax increase to be more than cut in half. That was the outcome of a meeting late last week between City Council President Tony Dolce... Finance Committee Chairman Brent Sheldon... and, City Comptroller Ericka Thomas. During Monday night's work session... Sheldon says they agreed on adjustments using another $500,000 in left-over American Rescue Plan Act funding... and, $125,000 from the city's undesignated fund balance. He says, the net impact (including additions), will be a tax levy reduction of just over $649,000. In addition... the city is now projecting an $87,000 increase in sales tax revenues, based on a 2.5% increase in third-quarter revenues that exceeded projections. They say this would all lower the tax increase from 7.64% to 3.61%. Sheldon says there were some increased expenses... the largest being nearly $74,000 in increased Medicare premiums for retired with workers. However... Councilman Jeff Russell says a 3.61% translates to something much more palatable for the taxpayers. He says a house assessed at $90,000 would see a $75 increase in their taxes for the year 2025. Russell says... under Mayor Kim Ecklund's original budget proposal... that increase would have been somewhere around $150 for 2025. Aside from the adjustments made late last week... no other amendments have been offered. Council will vote on the $43.3-million spending plan at next week's voting session.
One person speaking during City Council budget hearing...
The city council held a public hearing on the proposed 2025 budget prior to last night's work session... during which one resident spoke. Doug Champ had a couple of ideas that he has looked into. One... says Champ... is putting the $500,000 street light line-item in the budget into the fee's charged by the Board of Public Utilities over the entire electric territory. He says that would also include tax-exempt properties. He adds that doing the same thing for storm sewers would take another $290,000 out of the city's General Fund budget. He says he realizes this can't be done this year... but, says it's something to look at in the future.
Mayville man arrested on felony gun possession charge after complaint filed in village...
A Mayville man has been arrested for allegedly being a Felon in possession of a loaded firearm early Tuesday morning in the village. Sheriff's officers say they were called to a Mayville home shortly after Midnight for an "unwanted person" at the residence. Deputies say further investigation determinied that 44 year-old Robert Shumaker, Jr. was in possession of the gun... but, not allowed due to his previous conviction. Officers add that Shumaker also has a valid order of protection that also prohibits him from possessing a firearms. He was arrested for third-degree criminal possession of a weapon... and, second-degree criminal contempt. Shumaker was jailed pending centralized arraignment.
Arrest made in August shooting in Dunkirk...
Dunkirk Police have made an arrest in connection with a shooting that occurred in the city last August. Police say an investigation found that 20-year-old Davon McCall of Brocton had allegedly shot and struck a male victim in the leg during what's believed to be an altercation in the 300-block of Washington Avenue during the evening hours of Aug. 14. The victim was taken to Brooks Memorial Hospital and later transferred to the Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo for non-life threatening injuries. A warrant was issued following the incident, and police believed that McCall had gone to Massachusetts. He was arrested there by U.S. Marshals and was held as a fugitive from justice before being transported back to Dunkirk for arraignment. He is being held in the Chautauqua County Jail on $100,000 cash bail on charges of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon... and, second-degree assault.
Borrello says an additional Republican member of the State Senate will make a big difference in 2025-26...
Republicans picked up one additional seat in the New York State Senate on Election Day... which means that Democrats will no longer hold a "veto-proof" two-thirds supermajority in that chamber next year. State Senator George Borrello, who chairs the State Senate Republican Campaign Committee, says it's a significant result that came from the GOP retaining all of their 21 current seats... and, the party gaining a seat that had been held by an incumbent Democrat from Brooklyn. Borrello... a Sunset Bay Republican... adds that with the supermajority broken, Governor Kathy Hochul now has an opportunity to push back on "radical" pieces of legislation that get pushed through.
City man arrested during street check on a warrant...
A Jamestown man has been arrested on a drug possession charge following a street check in the Brooklyn Square area late last week. City police say a patrol spotted 40 year-old Michael Jones walking in the area of Foote Avenue and Harrison Street shortly before 10 p.m. last Friday. Officers say they knew Jones had an outstanding warrant for his arrest... and, made contact with him. Police took Jones into custoday... and, during a search... they allegedly fund a quantity of methamphetamine in his possession. Jones was taken to the city jail pending arraignment on one count of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... and, on the City Court warrant.
