LITTLE VALLEY — Few Cattaraugus County legislators expect any more changes in the record $243.3 million county budget for 2019.
Changes so far have been minimal — except for Thursday’s Finance Committee approval of $70,000 to hire a minority counsel for Democrat lawmakers.
The power of the County Legislature’s bipartisan coalition will be tested Nov. 20 when a public hearing on the budget will be held at 4 p.m., followed by a budget vote.
Before a final vote on the budget the full County Legislature will vote on any changes in the tentative budget since it was presented Nov. 7 by County Administrator Jack Searles.
That is where the minority counsel will be voted up or down. If the members of the bipartisan coalition — five Democrats and four Republicans — all vote for it, it will pass.
Legislator Dan Hale of Portville, a Republican member of the bipartisan coalition, joined three Democrats Nov. 15 on the Finance Committee in a 4-2 vote that added funding for the minority counsel.
Legislature Minority Leader John Padlo, D-Olean, said Democrats had been talking about having a minority counsel for some time. Some have expressed concern over County Attorney Eric Firkel being a member of the Cattaraugus County Republican Party Committee.
Republican Party Chairman Robert Keis Sr. sent a letter to Republican legislators reminding them that the Republican Committee helped elect them and expects them to vote for Republicans for legislative offices.
That was in reference to the election in February of Legislature Vice Chairman Susan Labuhn, D-Salamanca, the former minority leader. As vice chairman, Labuhn is chairman of the powerful Finance Committee.
Both Labuhn and Legislature Chairman James J. Snyder, R-Olean, were elected with the votes of the bipartisan coalition.
After the question of the minority counsel is decided, the rest will likely be all downhill toward budget approval.
The $243.3 million tentative budget is up from $230.4 million in 2018. The tentative tax levy is $55.7 million, up from $54.4 million this year, a 2.3 percent increase.
Searles said the budget includes $1.9 million from surplus to reduce the tax levy, down from $2.5 million in the current budget.
The full value tax rate in the tentative budget is $12.84, an 18-cent increase.
Legislators will also be voting Tuesday on the proposed 2019 capital program, funding for roads, bridges and buildings and grounds projects totaling $44.8 million, including $23 million for road and bridge construction and other work including snow removal.
The public hearing will be held beginning at 4 p.m. in the third-floor legislative chamber at the County Center in Little Valley.
(Contact reporter Rick Miller at rmiller@oleantimesherald.com. Follow him on Twitter, @RMillerOTH)
