Amherst Republican Chair Calls for Reduction In 11.4% Tax Hike

Calls for Town Amendment to Release Tax Increases Before Elections

From the steps of Amherst Town Hall, 5583 Main Street, Amherst, Brian D. Rusk, Amherst Republican Chairman called for “drastic surgery” to reduce the proposed Amherst proposed town tax increase of a whopping 11.4%. This took place at 4:30 pm Monday, November 20th along with several Amherst Republican leaders. Rusk called for an immediate Town of Amherst Amendment to release Amherst Town Budget and tax increases 10 days before a town election as Erie County has in effect for total Town of Amherst election transparency. This almost corrupt action took place with Supervisor Kulpa and his democrat council candidates keeping an 11.4% Amherst property tax increase secret for a week after the November election.

Rusk said:” Shame on you Amherst Supervisor Brian Kulpa and your town board candidates Mike Szugala and Angela Marinucci. All of you knew of this proposed 11.4% tax hike for months and kept this a secret until a week after election day. This is unethical and deceitful behavior with absolutely no transparency. The supervisor and his hand picked council candidates should come clean, apologize for conning the Amherst taxpayers and have the town board reduce the whopping 11.4% Amherst tax hike to the 3.3 per cent state tax cap.

Amherst taxpayers have to live within their means and the all democrat one party town board should abide by the NY state tax cap of 3.3% established to protect Amherst taxpayers from waste.”

Rusk added:”The national inflation rate is now 3.67% as Brian Kulpa and his reckless all democrat town board is raising the Amherst tax rate over 3 times with a ridiculous 11.42 per cent increase. Only one of the all democrat town board Councilwoman Deborah Bucki had the courage and decency to vote no to a tax increase, three times the national inflation rate.”

Amherst GOP Chair Rusk concluded with options:”Control labor agreements with a temporary freeze, postpone the total $33 million project to purchase 9,600 streetlights from National Grid and NYSEG and phase this in over several years, reduce public costs with the Boulevard Mall revival and scale down the $7.8 million Westwood Central Park plan to be done gradually over many years. This is all common sense as the average Amherst town resident cannot afford $280 in new Kulpa tax hikes in 2024. The all democrat town board should reverse their reckless tax hike now and live within the 3.3% increase allowed under the NY state tax cap - recommended to protect Amherst taxpayers from excess, waste and abuse.”