AMHERST, N.Y. (WBEN) – Municipalities continue to fret over their finances as they await some type of federal assistance sometime this month.
But the looming questions for them continue to be how much will they get from the federal government and when will the money actually come?
In the Town of Amherst, Supervisor Brian Kulpa forecasted more than $21 million revenue shortfall by the end of this year and has already begun the process of cutting expenses in the town. This includes voluntary separation agreements with 45 full-time employees, laying off many part-time staffers, no more overtime, and the cancellation of recreational activities and upcoming events like the Fourth of July celebration.
In Eden, where the budget is only $4.5 million, there are worries about revenues to pay for any services like child care programs and summer programs.
“Without the knowledge of (where Congress is at)…we don’t have the ability to make decisions as if we knew these revenues were either going to be relief with federal funding or if we would be able to open back up and have the economy start again,” Eden Town Supervisor Melissa Hartman said. “This is a direct impact on every taxpayer across the country. Everybody who pays federal tax. It also impacts our small businesses that rely on services that towns and counties provide for them.”
In extreme cases, Hartman warns there may be some scenarios where garbage could not be picked up by towns most severely impacted by the pandemic.
“We’re really trying to do everything we can to make cuts on our end,” Hartman said. “However, there is a real possibility that some of the consequences are going to be an increase in property taxes and that is the last thing our residents is going to need next year.”
Gerry Geist, the Director of Association of Towns, is lobbying the state to add public hearings to talk about the local government impact on the pandemic.
There are concerns that the pandemic, which has impacted Western New York for about two months so far, will have upwards of five years of budget impacts on local governments.