For over 15 years, Niagara County has asked the State of New York to increase the sales tax from 7% to 8% in order to deal with the excessive financial burden of the Medicaid program. The extra 1% amounts to over $20 million dollars. Without the extra 1%, our property taxes would go up $20 million dollars. As a Niagara County Legislator, John Ceretto voted twice to ask the state to allow for the extension of the additional 1 %. He did that because he knew without it he and his colleagues would have had to raise taxes significantly or they would have to cut the Sheriff's Department, the Parks Department & Highway Departments.
As our state assemblyman, Ceretto now has twice voted against the county's request, despite knowing that it would raise our county property tax or reduce essential county services. During this last legislative session, Assemblywoman Jane Corwin sponsored a bill to grant Niagara County's request to extend the additional 1% sales tax. Senator George Maziarz, Assemblyman Robin Schimminger and Corwin all supported the bill which was passed by both houses and signed by the Governor. The lone representative who voted against the request was John Ceretto. The same John Ceretto who last year said in an article in the Niagara Falls Reporter that he wanted to lower property taxes in Niagara County. The same John Ceretto who on the Vince Anello Show didn't know that the State's Safety Net Welfare program was shifting the cost onto county taxpayers which he voted to do in 2011.
Have you read about this in any local newspaper? Have you heard about this on any radio show? The answer to these questions is no. Could you imagine if Robin Schimminger voted against the County's request? Boy, I'm sure that the County Legislature led by Rick Updegrove would have a resolution blasting Schimminger for not supporting their request. Of course, Schimminger is a Democrat and the Legislature is controlled by the Republicans. Do you think Updegrove will go after Ceretto? Don't hold your breath.
When will someone ask Ceretto why he wants to increase the tax burden on county taxpayers when Canadian shoppers and the 7 million people who visit Niagara Falls could help pay for the oppressive state mandates that Ceretto has continued to shift onto county taxpayers? When will people look beyond the glad handing, pancake eating politician and see one of the most incompetent elected officials to come around in years.
