Split town board rejects tax-cap hearing, approves 1% spending reduction resolution amid public tax concerns

The Cheektowaga Town Board split Jan. 14, 2025, over whether to begin a formal process to exceed New York State's property-tax cap; the board voted down a resolution calling for a public hearing on potentially exceeding the cap but later approved a separate resolution directing the budget officer to prepare a tentative 2026 budget that reflects a 1% reduction in total expenditures.

Supervisor Brian Nowak introduced Resolution 2025-5, which would have set a Jan. 28 public hearing on a local law authorizing the town to impose a property tax levy in excess of the limit established by state law. "This resolution calling for a public hearing ... is more an opportunity to start this discussion early in the event this is necessary," Nowak said. Council members split on the motion; the roll-call vote was 2 in favor (Gerald Kaminski and Brian Nowak) and 4 opposed (Barbara Bukowski, Michael Jasinski, Anthony Filipsky and Vernon Thompson), so the motion failed.

Public comment that night was dominated by tax and budget worries. "The citizen of Cheektowaga cannot afford another tax hike," said Pat Rapini, a resident who urged the board to put town expenditures and income online and to review raises and bonding. Joe Weaver, another commenter, said his taxes had risen sharply in recent years and opposed any further increases.

Council members debated salary and personnel resolutions that accompanied the budget conversation; several pay-related resolutions (2025-13, 2025-14, 2025-15) were tabled for further review after members asked for more detail and a chance to compare raises across departments. During debate, Director of Administration and Finance Brian Krause (by phone) said the management/confidential staff increases were generally in the 2.5-3% range and were weighed against projected union increases.

Later in the meeting, a separate resolution (2025-49) sponsored by Council member Michael Jasinski and seconded by Council member Vernon Thompson directed the budget officer to prepare a tentative budget reflecting a 1% decrease in total expenditures from the 2025 adopted budget. After extended debate about the practicality of achieving 1% cuts across an approximately $110 million town budget, the board approved the 1% reduction resolution 4-2 (Yeas: Bukowski, Jasinski, Kaminski, Filipsky. Nays: Thompson, Nowak).

Board members and residents discussed operational areas where savings might be found, including travel reductions, Board of Assessment Review costs and procurement rules. The board also tabled several other financial resolutions pending additional information, and members said they would pursue a line-by-line departmental review to identify savings before presenting the 2026 tentative budget.

Ending: The Jan. 14 votes leave the town without a public hearing on exceeding the tax cap but with an explicit instruction for staff to draft a 2026 tentative budget that reflects a 1% cut in total expenditures; members said further meetings and audits will be used to refine where cuts will be made.