HAMBURG (WBEN) - The Town of Hamburg remains determined to fight back against a significant funding loss in the proposed state budget.
Hamburg Town Supervisor Jim Shaw handed Assemblyman Sean Ryan more than 3,500 signatures Thursday morning from residents in support of restoring Video Lottery Terminal funding that was cut in the proposed state budget.
The cut would cost Hamburg about $865,000.
"That loss of revenue would have a devastating upon the town budget," said Shaw. "It is almost 2% of our total town budget, and after property taxes, it represents the single largest stream of income."
If the town town isn't successful in restoring the funding, Shaw is adamant that taxes will not be raised, but he says other programs will need to be cut.
"If we have to cut some programs or furlough some people, God forbid, that's what we're going to have to do," he said. "I just want to assure you that, no matter what happens, we're not raising taxes."
Ryan admits it will be a sprint to change this aspect of the budget, but he's confident he now has the ammunition to do so.
"I'm going to back to Albany armed with this information and fight harder to make sure this money stays in the budget," said Ryan.