News Director Terry Frank speaks with Chautauqua County Executive P.J. Wendel this week on three topics, led by the recently adopted, 2027 budget. Wendel says, even though it was changed to use less undesigned fund balance and includes a 1.8-million increase in the tax levy, he signed it. Wendel says the 330-million spending plan still meets two of his main objectives, it's within the state's 2% property tax cap... and, includes a tax rate decrease of 71-cents per 1,000. The budget was approved by the county legislature in a narrow, 10-9 vote. We also discuss the county's homeless issue... which is still consuming a lot of county funding to provide "safety net" services. He says, though, he and Carmello Hernandez, the director of the county's Department of Social Services and Mental Hygiene, got a look at a location on Scott Street in Falconer where they're looking to locate an 84-bed facility with wrap-around services for the homeless. We also talk about the county's bus company -- CHQ Transit -- providing free rides for veteran's this coming Wed., Nov. 11, which is Veteran's Day.
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