Fire commissioners shouldn’t overburden agriculture, property owners with escalating budgets

Chart information compiled by Joseph Sidonio

Editor:

On April 1, 2025 Spectrum News reported on a fire district merger in Chautauqua County. Attorney Bradley Pinsky, of Pinsky Law Group in Syracuse, “with decades of fire service experience” stated, “The goal of consolidation is not usually to save money, it’s to be able to be more efficient, to have one set of polices, one chief, one training officer, one governing board……”

To that point, after consolidation, the Murray Joint Fire District budget recently increased 118% despite obtaining sizeable grants. Albion Fire District’s desire to purchase a new $2.2 million dollar truck will almost certainly increase taxes. Interestingly, the new Albion Joint Fire District and recently formed Murray Joint Fire District have the two largest budgets in Orleans County.

It’s noteworthy Orleans County is currently studying how to best provide EMS and fire protection countywide. Fire districts, like schools, towns and villages look at what is best for their jurisdictions. Do they ever consider the collective tax impacts to constituents or how you will afford to pay for their individual spending habits?

It is no secret I am concerned about the future of agriculture. In speaking with the farming community across our region, the financial hardship of increased fire district budgets levying full market value taxation on farmland is devastating.

In early spring I brought the issue to the Murray Joint Fire Commission requesting a resolution like fire districts in neighboring counties who apply agricultural values to farmland. County, town, school, and libraries all respect the hardships of being a farmer and utilize agricultural values in the calculation of their budgets.

Fire Districts are the only taxing jurisdiction that do not. The increasing cost of fire district land tax is unfairly burdensome to the farming community, the backbone of Orleans County.

In March I wrote of the impending threat to Orleans County agriculture from increased land taxes when fire districts purchase capital equipment. Click here to see that letter, “Fire districts need to give farmland a fair discount or else agriculture faces another threat.”

Apparently, the impending threat to agriculture is spreading sooner than expected. I strongly encourage all farmers and landowners engaged in agricultural pursuits across the county, especially those in Murray, Albion and Gaines to urge their Commissioners to respect Agricultural Land Values during their upcoming budgeting process. The future of agriculture in Orleans County is stressed. Disproportionately valuing farmland at retail value is completely unfair and threatens the livelihood of family farms and local jobs.

While I advocate for agriculture and will continue to do so, homeowners too are affected by huge budget increases. I looked at the Fire District Budget. There can be tax relief for you as well if the Commissioners wish.

I appreciate Attorney Pinsky speaking frankly: “The goal of consolidation is not about saving money…”

Thank you to our first responders. We appreciate you and what you do. But it does not exempt you from being fiscally responsible.

Joseph Sidonio

Murray