Budget proposal carries 8.9% increase in property tax levy; gas tax cap to be lifted

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Budget proposal carries 8.9% increase in property tax levy; gas tax cap to be lifted

By JOLEEN FERRIS

Story Created: Oct 3, 2008 at 1:32 PM EST

Story Updated: Oct 3, 2008 at 1:52 PM EST

UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, Jr. released his 2009 budget proposal today. Picente's proposal carries an 8.9% increase in the property tax levy. The plan also calls for the gasoline tax cap to be lifted. Picente acknowledges that difficult times call for tough decisions.

"And if we did not take the actions we took this year next year would surely be a 15 or 20% property tax increase and I said last year I wouldn't do that to the people of this county but I have an obligation to fix things about here and provide the services," said Picente during his budget address to county legislators and department heads this morning.

Legislative minority leader Michael Hennessy has concerns about the proposal--specifically, the increased obligation to taxpayers.

'I'm concerned because when you look at the property tax and the fact that we're going to remove the cap on the gasoline sales tax this is more of a double digit increase to the taxpayers of Oneida County."

The budget is not a done deal; the county legislature has a month to look it over before they vote on it.

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Thursday, Oct 30 at 6:34 AM Work Just One Day.. wrote ...

..at the DSS window, dealing with a multitude of surly ingrates who never paid a dime into the system, and then tell me the DSS workers don't deserve a raise.

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Thursday, Oct 30 at 4:16 AM blogster wrote ...

WKTV foil for the amount in the (can't use for taxpayers) reserve fund. Then let the voters decide the budget. Pass or Fail

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Sunday, Oct 5 at 5:55 PM dennis wrote ...

Why would anyone want to life in this county!! Picicent what are you thinking, you should make cuts and start off yourself, cut the benifit that you receive! what are to thinking, do think this oneida county people could afford a tax increase, you just could us a good reason to move off of the county!!! a concern voter

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Sunday, Oct 5 at 9:11 AM Hey wrote ...

We voted these tools into office(God look at the county legislators) So deal with it! They DO NOT CARE ABOUT TAX PAYERS!

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Saturday, Oct 4 at 10:02 PM close the doors wrote ...

close the county to immigrants. get our economy back on track, throw the welfare fraud rats out, then you will find extra money

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Saturday, Oct 4 at 9:56 PM impeach wrote ...

The whole bunch should be thrown out of office on the 10th floor. Picente has a county car with county gas and insurance as does secretary Al, I believe, so why do they care about gas tax? Fill 'er up!!!

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Saturday, Oct 4 at 5:40 PM what!!! wrote ...

What happened to that surplus that oneida county had, didn't they say something about that a couple months ago... Oh wait that must be for the Exec and his sec. Al Candido

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Saturday, Oct 4 at 5:24 PM sonja_s7@yahoo.com wrote ...

Gooooooooo Bush. Gooooooooooooo Picente. Give to the rich and take from the poor.

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Saturday, Oct 4 at 1:33 PM salews tax across the board wrote ...

i like it......then the welfare beggars will pay too!!!!!

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Saturday, Oct 4 at 11:16 AM taxpayer wrote ...

Times are tough. People need help. They depend upon the county for that help. Whether it be food stamps, heap or investigating a complaint of child abuse or neglect, depending upon county roads to be plowed. Well someone got to pay for those wervices mostof which are elderly relatives and family members may need. And God forbid the public has trouble accessing these services in times of need. Well someone has got to pay for the services they expect.

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Saturday, Oct 4 at 7:33 AM ME wrote ...

I'm from Herkimer County and this really made me angry!! I hope you Oneida County residents stand up for yourselves and say "NO" to this budget. This is monetary rape of the little people and needs to be stopped. Everyone is losing their jobs; how can Oneida County expect you to pay for all these tax increases?? What happens when everyone forcloses on their homes and they have no one to pay taxes?? Fight Homeowners of Oneida County, I am on your side!!

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Saturday, Oct 4 at 7:16 AM Fed up wrote ...

why not an across the board sales tax increase and let everybody pay instead of just working home owners?

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Saturday, Oct 4 at 5:43 AM Gone wrote ...

This is the reason i moved out of nys two years.

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Saturday, Oct 4 at 1:41 AM Genius!! Sheer Genius!! wrote ...

We have hundreds, maybe thousands of people infiltrating the county from all over the country for a PGA golf tournament this week. What does Oneida County do,,, send them home with all the reasons they should never want to relocate their families or businesses here!! Why doesn't the County Executive and his puppet declare war on the Oneida Indian Nation this week while we're at it!! Great job Tony and Al!!Nice impression you're giving the visitors of this area to take home with them!!

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Friday, Oct 3 at 11:30 PM HOW ABOUT THIS wrote ...

ABOLISH THE WELFARE SYSTEM,GET RID OF ANTHONY PICENTE, THEN YOU WON'T NEED ALL THOSE WORKERS AT THE COUNTY BUILDING SIGNING PEOPLE UP FOR WELFARE. NOW THEY CAN GO TO THE JOB SERVICE/

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Friday, Oct 3 at 10:52 PM Dump Picente wrote ...

I like the idea of going back to having a Board of Supervisos form of County Government instead of The County Executive form of Government WKTV why don't you do a story on this? Dump Picente and his secretary Al Dump

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Friday, Oct 3 at 10:08 PM Are you serious Tony? wrote ...

Picente has never had a job outside the public sector...started as a county employee and then worked for the state and now back at the county. An 8 % imcrease means nothing to him and his buddies on the 10 floor of the county building. They get paid for doing nothing and they will just vote themselves a raise to cover it. Remember this come reelection time...lets get rid of all those S O B's.

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Friday, Oct 3 at 8:45 PM I agree.. wrote ...

Lets reduce all the OC Government salaries for one, reduce all the staff, stop paying Middaugh's Secratary 36,000 in overtime, he doesnt need a car to go to and from work either. And make the county workers left actually work....all i see is guys driving real slow and taking breaks.

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Friday, Oct 3 at 8:40 PM unbelievable wrote ...

Picente has shown complete disregard and disrespect for the taxpayers of this county. County taxpayers should demand his resignation.

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Friday, Oct 3 at 7:57 PM citizen wrote ...

Here's a thought. How about we reduce the size of the OC government by 20 percent and do with some social programs for a change. The OC taxpayer needs relief and needs it now.

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Friday, Oct 3 at 6:57 PM just a game wrote ...

this is how it works. they always say they have to raise taxes a larger amount then they need to, so when they lower the rate hike they make it sound like there doing us a favor.

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Friday, Oct 3 at 6:02 PM Good Idea wrote ...

Here is a good idea - Lets go back to running the Couny by a Board of Supervisors like we used to, and Madison County still does, as well as many other counties in NYS - Get rid of the County Executive and his Assistant - This is the first place to start

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Friday, Oct 3 at 5:47 PM notsofast wrote ...

i guess its time to get out of here. there are alot of cuts in county gov. he could make keep it up picente you will kill us all

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Friday, Oct 3 at 5:45 PM Soo wrote ...

I thought this was supposed to be a speech on the 2009 County Budget? - Instead it turned out to be a political speech about consolidations, Etc. - You have enough problems running County Government, never mind trying to controll all the police departments - That would be dangerous to have that power consolidated in the hands of the County Executive - No way!

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Friday, Oct 3 at 4:54 PM Nana wrote ...

Picente wants to increase taxes by almost 9% - where im the h*** does he think he is going to get this money? Once again, it will fall on the backs of the homeowners in Utica who are lucky if they even still have a job and twice as lucky if they received an annual raise of 2%. Picente needs to open his eyes and realize the money pit has gone dry and tighten up his own budget WITHOUT any increases in our taxes.

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Friday, Oct 3 at 4:40 PM DSS Worker wrote ...

While I agree that some of the DSS workers that may be getting the proposed upgrade deserve it, it leaves many DSS workers who work just as hard without any pay raise.AND THAT is truly not fair. Many of the workers who are in the series of those possibly getting the upgrade are not dealing with the public at all and do not do anywhere near the work of the actual line staff. But because their titles fall in to that particular series they too may get an undeserved upgrade. Be fair to all.

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Friday, Oct 3 at 3:31 PM Please help us wrote ...

It is getting to the point that I can not afford to work. Squeeze every last penny you can out of us you leeches. Maybe I should just work the system, people on welfare seem to liver better than me anyway. I am tired and very close to giving up.

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Friday, Oct 3 at 3:22 PM MChadwicks wrote ...

I can't believe after knowing everything that is going on in the economy they want such a huge tax raise. How about they don't get a raise this year like the rest of the country is suffering. Look into how to cut money in this county before taking more money from the rest of us that are already struggling really bad. This needs to be turned down and some other alternative needs to sought out immediatly.

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Friday, Oct 3 at 3:18 PM amelia wrote ...

How about Picente tightens the county's belt the way the rest of the peole living in the county have? Not cool Picente. Good thing you are not up for reelection.

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Friday, Oct 3 at 3:12 PM I Love Oneida County wrote ...

Please vote NO on this proposed budget

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Friday, Oct 3 at 2:40 PM D Con wrote ...

We need anthor Tea Party. This time we line up along the Barge Canal. It worked in Boston!!!!!!!!

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Friday, Oct 3 at 2:33 PM What about struggling families as is??? wrote ...

OK so we are getting out of the County crunch but YET AGAIN... the struggling middle class people that can't afford to do anything or pay for anything anymore are now going to be faced with more struggles. So what's next???? I won't be able to put any food on the table for my kids? I work FT as does my husband and we are taxpayers in the County but it seems whenever WE or anyone with the same income as ours needs something.. ONLY THE WELFARE GET HELP!! MESSED UP!!!

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Friday, Oct 3 at 2:12 PM Great wrote ...

yes, dont make cuts,keep giving OT to people who are not suposed to get it, give raises and tax the hell out of the workers! how are people going to afford to live here? The Oneida county goverment are way out of touch!

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Friday, Oct 3 at 1:56 PM mike wrote ...

you know the increase if necessary is ok but first how about cutting the budget starting with your pay take a 8.9% decrease in pay as well at the chief of police and all the councilmen. sounds fair you want to raise money good place to start.

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Friday, Oct 3 at 1:54 PM Here is a cost saving idea wrote ...

Any county employee who uses a county vehicle for purposes of only commuting to and from work. (Middaugh, Picente etc.) Sell those cars and use your own like most other people in our community!

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