Gaines official says town finances in great shape

Posted 9 September 2017 at 9:03 pm

Editor:

I am writing this letter to let the Town of Gaines residents know that our town does NOT need to be rescued and repaired. Why would you want to fix something that is not broken?

The Town of Gaines is in great hands and doing well!

1. Our budgets are consistently balanced. A flat tax will only raise taxes and discourage new businesses and new residents. Gaines is the 2nd lowest town for tax increases in all of Orleans County for the past 10 years! Your town is in great fiscal shape!!

2. All budgets follow NY State Controllers guidelines. The baseline is the Supervisor’s budgetary item with all Elected Officials. The steps in reaching a final budgetary decision involve accountants and all elected officials as it moves through its process. The entire procedure is open to the public ending with final approval following a public hearing. Decisions are reached by consensus, as what is financially correct for the Town of Gaines.

3. All Town Board members receive all incoming information from the Supervisor as she receives them. All information is addressed and dated with all board members names to review. All of us have the power to table if we feel unprepared or need more time to research subject matter. All vouchers are reviewed and audited mainly by all Town Board members on a monthly basis before meetings take place. You can find all information on line at our website (click here). We are also on FB and Twitter.

4. We started with few businesses in the Town of Gaines and have grown today. The Master Plan Goals you gave us continue yesterday, today, tomorrow.

5. “The New York State Comptroller is the State’s Chief fiscal Officer who ensures that State and local governments use taxpayer money effectively and efficiently to promote common good” (osc.state.ny.us). We are not even close on their radar for towns that are in fiscal stress.

Attending meetings on a regular basis prepares and informs all interested residents the Town of Gaines Goals, and the process it is incorporated in running our Town Business. Fact: The Gaines Republican Nominating Chair/Gaines Supervisor Candidate has only attended one meeting in the last 10 months and not one budget public hearing. Republican Nominating Committee member/Town Clerk candidate attended 2 meetings the last 10 months. The youngest endorsed Gaines Republican Councilman Candidate has attended 0 meetings.

If any doubts have entered your mind about the Town of Gaines please call Supervisor Carol Culhane or any of the Council people including myself. Our names and numbers are listed on our Town’s web page.

Susan Smith

Gaines

(Smith is a member of the Gaines Town Board)