Gaines shouldn’t seek cheap fire protection at expense of village

Editor:

I find it interesting that I haven’t heard the Town of Gaines officials complain about Orleans County sharing sales tax revenue based upon an assessed property value formula instead of need. Yet, when it comes to expenses such as fire protection, where that formula isn’t as advantageous to them, then they complain.

If the Village of Albion didn’t exist guess what – everyone in the Town of Gaines would have to pay the same tax rate for the same service. If the Town of Gaines has to create its own fire department then the cost is likely to be mostly determined by the fixed building and equipment costs instead of costs that vary based upon the number of calls.

I don’t mind paying an extra village tax if it goes to some modest extra services that people do not receive in the countryside. But no one wants to pay extra for services that are roughly the same. Village tax rates should be the lowest instead of the highest.

Unless the governments of Orleans County can learn to work together in fairness you will see a continued lack of investment in and a decline of the villages. That outcome wouldn’t be beneficial to anyone in Orleans County.

Jason Dragon
Village of Albion