Editor:

From a message of the Boston supervisor at a recent Boston Town Board meeting:

I wanted to take a moment to report on the progress the Town Board has made over the past few weeks in the fine-tuning of our 2010 Budget.

As you know the only area in the tentative budget that showed a potential increase of any concern was the Highway Department. Since submitting the tentative budget on October 7, the Board has had several discussions on how to improve upon the 2010 budget. Tonight, I wish to inform the community that once again for the third year in a row this board has been able to tighten the budget. The end result is that the tax rate for the highway, general fund, fire protection and ambulance will be lower in 2010 then it was in 2006. Unfortunately, charges on your tax bill such as lighting, water and garbage are controlled by the utility, Erie County Water and Waste Management. The Board has no control over those costs on your tax bill. In addition, there will be no raises for any town employees except for the unionized highway workers.

What this means to you the taxpayer is if the taxable assessment on a property was $100,000, using the general, highway, fire and ambulance rates, with the 2006 tax rates from the same categories, your taxes would have been $332.38.

With the 2010 tax rates your taxes would be $319.80.

The end result is there will be no property tax increase in Boston. The tax rates for the general fund, highway, fire and ambulance services in the 2010 budget are lower than 2006.

Therefore, for those who have attempted to mislead our community, I can only say, “The proof is in the budget and now on the record.”

We as your town Board continue to work hard for the community and this budget once again confirms our commitment to the taxpayers of Boston.

Richard K. Hawkins

Boston Town Supervisor