Murray officials say town tax rate among lowest in Orleans
Editor:
It has come to our attention that comments have been made in the local media about the tax rates in the Town of Murray. While we encourage healthy conversations about spending and services, we think it’s important that factual information be used to fuel this discourse across our county.
Listed below is just a summary of some of the facts. More detailed information is available at the Town Clerk’s Office or soon to be published on our website.
When comparing the tax rate of the Town of Murray for the past 5 years, (2012-2016), the Town has ranked in the top third of towns in Orleans County with the lowest tax rate. In most of those years, the Town of Murray tax rate has been below the average of all 10 towns in the county. Yes, the taxes have gone up in 2015 and 2016. The unexpended balance used to offset tax revenues has been depleted. That unexpended balance has been used in past years to keep taxes low and services high.
It has been suggested that the Town return to the days of previous administrations where “stretching a dime into a dollar” was the norm. When you actually compare the tax rates for the four years (1994-1997), those rates, (adjusted for inflation), were higher than the current 2016 tax rate – higher in some cases by over $1.15 per thousand! Perhaps the dime didn’t really stretch as far as we remember.
We always look forward to engaging dialogue with our community on methods we can employ to keep taxes low while maintaining the level of services our residents are accustomed to. We do believe however, that factually based, positive, respectful conversations will generate much more productive results than statements made in half-truths used to inflame community residents and service private agendas.
We will continue to work hard to provided the BEST services for the residents in the Town of Murray at a rate that is acceptable to all.
Murray Town Supervisor John Morriss
Town Council members
Paul Hendel
Kathy Case
Ed Bower
Lloyd Christ
