The Angelica Town Board will hold a public hearing Monday night on a $1.8 million dollar operating budget for next year which results in a proposed $190,440 combined property tax levy, while it recorded over $5 million in available funds, and growing, at the end of last year which apparently has been available to eliminate … Read more
The Richburg Village Board says it is “committed to improving financial accountability, strengthening internal controls, and ensuring compliance with all reporting and auditing requirements moving forward,” following a State Comptroller’s audit finding no financial audits or reports for at least five years and the theft of over $1,000 by the former village clerk/treasurer. Mayor Tyler … Read more
Over 20,000 free online videos, including many with a Christmas theme, will be available to area residents Monday night at a free family Eve-Eve Christmas Party at the Friendship Free Library as Allegany Hope presents a video library for individuals and families. RightNow Media@Work has compiled the selections, to which Allegany Hope has a community … Read more
A study on Experiencing God – Knowing and Doing the Will of God has resumed in Friendship following a holidays break. The weekly sessions are being offered from 1:30PM to 2:30PM Thursdays at The Carter House Community Ministry Center, 37 East Main Street, Friendship. A joint initiative of the United Church of Friendship, Followers of … Read more
Allegany County lawmakers have adopted a $145.5 million tentative budget with no changes, although it increased expenditures by more than $1.5 million before it was adopted and then repeated the actions once again afterward. A resolution declaring that “the 2024 County Tentative Budget dated November 1, 2023, is adopted asthe 2024 County Final Budget” was … Read more
NEWS ANALYSIS: Allegany County lawmakers appear to be racking up increasing surpluses, which aren’t being returned proportionally to taxpayers, helping to maintain its distinction as the second highest property and third highest general sales taxed county in the state. Allegany Hope Community News found the increasing pattern following an analysis of four years of budget … Read more
Allegany County alleges it has no records which show its financial condition beyond those it creates once a year. The highly dubious claim comes in response to a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request by Allegany Hope Community News to confirm that the county has been carrying unreasonable surpluses for at least five years, rather … Read more
Allegany County is refusing to reveal how many employees have been included in its tentative 2024 county budget, expected to be voted on Wednesday by the Board of Legislators. Board Chairman W. Brooke Harris of Alfred made the determination in response to a formal appeal of a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request by Allegany … Read more
BREAKING – EXCLUSIVE: Allegany County officials apparently are contending that a proposal for a more than 40 percent personal wage increase for each of its legislators next year magically appeared in a board resolution last month which set last week’s public hearing on the 2024 tentative budget. County Board Chairman W. Brooke Harris of Alfred, … Read more
Allegany County lawmakers will meet tomorrow morning to begin a push to allocate more than $4.4 million in various types of funds, including more than one-third of its federal pandemic revenues. An agenda for a Board of Legislators meeting was disseminated shortly before 5PM today, with $4,420,760 of proposed expenditures to be moved to the … Read more
BREAKING: Allegany County residents are being invited to comment Thursday night on a $145.5 million budget for next year, with little to go on, while county lawmakers themselves appear to be grasping for information on how to use nearly $42.5 million in surplus and avoid giving any of it back to property taxpayers. County Attorney … Read more
BREAKING: Allegany County legislators appear to be coming in the back door on a proposed personal wage increase next year of $3,500 each, or more than 40 percent. In a little-known action, which appears to have been shrouded originally in secrecy, county lawmakers, by a split vote, have included the salary increase, to $12,000 annually, … Read more
Allegany County legislators appear poised to overspend this year’s general fund budget by $16 million due to a windfall surplus from 2022 rather than using it for property tax relief. Board Chairman W. Brooke Harris of Alfred told the few people attending last night’s District V legislators meeting at the Town of Allen that the … Read more
EXCLUSIVE: Over one-third of taxpayers in Allegany County towns will pay more in county property taxes next year under a 2024 tentative budget while $16 million, or a number equal to nearly 53 percent of the entire tax levy, appears to be proposed for diversion to one or more unnamed purposes. An initial analysis of … Read more
A Belmont county legislator apparently won’t be supporting any move to provide significant tax relief to property taxpayers, despite a bloated surplus which exceeds one-and-a-half times what the county already expects to collect from owners each year. Legislator Dwight (Mike) Healy abruptly exited his chair and effectively adjourned a public meeting of District II legislators … Read more
EXCLUSIVE: Allegany County’s property tax rate is the second or third highest in the United States by one measure as county legislators continue to put away millions – over 160 percent more last year than was levied against taxpayers. An Allegany County Hope Community News compilation from different data sources appears clear that Allegany County … Read more
EXCLUSIVE: Allegany County’s state legislative representatives are being asked again to work at retaining the county’s third highest sales tax rate in the state at the same time as the government’s surplus escalated by more than $16 million, or nearly 50 percent, last year. The new unappropriated fund balance of nearly $48.8 million is enough … Read more
Several Allegany County school districts will be combining student art shows, STEAM exhibits, book and wellness fairs, and even an ice cream social with Tuesday votes on their annual operating budgets and school board members. Allegany Hope will be among community resources organizations at a combination art, STEAM and wellness fair from 6PM-8PM May 16 … Read more
The Allegany County Board of Legislators abruptly closed its doors to the public today to discuss an unknown scope of county finances which appeared to range from millions of dollars to the entire county budget. Allegany Hope Community News Editor Casey Jones challenged the action as being unlawful as the disjointed proceedings jumped from an … Read more
Wellsville and Andover officials are pushing a proposal for Allegany County, NY, to share its rapidly increasing sales tax revenue, which has the potential for exceeding its total property tax levy this year, with local governments. District IV county legislators, representing the two towns comprising nearly one-fifth of the county’s population, indicated agreement this week … Read more