East Aurora Advertiser

Supervisors pass resolution on internet sales tax collection




<p class=”p1″>The Wyoming County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution at its monthly meeting Tuesday, Feb. 13, urging the state to address internet sales tax collection practices.</p><p class=”p3″>Board members called for the state to enact legislation to ensure a fair and level playing field for all retailers with respect to collecting sales tax, a measure Middlebury Supervisor Daniel Leuer says he does not agree with. </p><p class=”p3″>The state cannot regulate interstate commerce, Leuer wrote in a statement read by Board Chairman Doug Berwanger. However, not all board members agreed with Leuer.</p><p class=”p3″>“Over the last two decades, the brick-and-mortar stores have been in fear of closing,” said Brian Becker, Sheldon town supervisor. “I support this resolution to equal the playing field for local businesses.”</p><p class=”p3″>The state has identified significant loopholes in certain internet-based sales tax collection practices. It is estimated that more than $300 million annually in state and local sales taxes are not being collected. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has proposed legislation that would require marketplace providers that facilitate online purchases to collect the sales tax while not changing current rules regarding sales tax nexus.</p><p class=”p3″>“We live and die by state taxes,” Berwanger said. “Between $17 (million) and $18 million is collected annually in sales tax. One-hundred-and ten-percent of that goes toward state-mandated programs.”</p><p class=”p3″>As if to highlight the point, the Wyoming County Chamber &amp; Tourism Office held the drawing for its annual shopping promotion Shop Wyoming &amp; Win.</p><p class=”p3″>Scott Gardner, chamber president, said close to $37,000 in estimated sales tax was collected in the latest promotion.</p><p class=”p3″>There were 581 shoppers participating who spent a total of $460,473 — a 2-percent increase from 2016. Additionally, 69 percent of consumers were in-county residents.</p><p class=”p3″>The winners are: </p><p class=”p3″>• <strong>Eugene Esaiako</strong>, of Perry. He won a Char-Broil gas/charcoal grill donated by Ace Hardware of Attica and Warsaw;</p><p class=”p3″>• <strong>Zachary and Crystal Marsh</strong>, of Castile, won a rocker recliner donated by Harding’s Attica Furniture and Flooring in Attica; and</p><p class=”p3″>• <strong>Bob and Louise Irving</strong>, of Perry, won a $100 Wyoming County Visa gift card.</p><p class=”p2″> </p><p class=”p3″>Other matters discussed:</p><p class=”p3″>• A resolution approved a request that the legislature adopt legislation to enable Wyoming County to continue to impose and collect taxes on mortgages in the county. The legislation authorizes the rate of the tax would be $0.25 per $100. The tax would be dedicated to funding any general capital projects and/or the debt service for any capital projects;</p><p class=”p3″>• A public hearing is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. during the Tuesday, March 13 meeting on the proposed local law titled, “Local Law Introductory No. A Year 2018, A Local Law Providing Salaries for Certain County Officers for the Year 2018;”</p><p class=”p3″>• The board is calling on the governor and the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services to provide state funding for the treatment and transition of inmates with substance use disorders;</p><p class=”p3″>• The board calls on the governor and state legislature to focus on enacting a phased-in state takeover of the costs of its own mandated human services, starting with Medicaid. Additionally, the legislation should provide immediate, permanent and measurable county property tax reductions and lower tax rates for New Yorkers;</p><p class=”p3″>• The board is asking the legislature to reject the governor’s request to expand his budget authority to make significant funding cuts administratively at any time;</p><p class=”p3″>• The board is requesting the state to constitutionally prohibit all new costs to local governments; take more fiscal responsibility for state health, human service, and public safety programs delivered by counties; reduce or reform state mandated programs; and increase flexibility on various regulations required of local governments; </p><p class=”p3″>• The assistant director of Veteran Services position has been amended from a part-time position to a full-time position;</p><p class=”p3″>• Two new positions were created in the county: a seasonal motor equipment operator position has been approved for the Highway Department, and a temporary payroll specialist position has been created for the Human Resources Department; </p><p class=”p2″> </p><p class=”p3″>The following were appointed to various committees throughout the county:</p><p class=”p3″><strong><em>Department of Environmental Conservation Advisory Committee, one-year terms</em></strong></p><p class=”p3″>• John Copeland, supervisor member;</p><p class=”p3″>• Bryan Kehl, supervisor member/alternate. Kehl was also re-appointed to WCCH Board of Managers, supervisor member, one-year term;</p><p class=”p2″> </p><p class=”p3″><strong>Soil and Water Conservation District Board, one-year terms</strong></p><p class=”p3″>• Angela Brunner, supervisor member;</p><p class=”p3″>• James Brick, supervisor member. Brick was also re-appointed to the Cornell Cooperative Extension Board of Directors as the supervisor member for a one-year term; </p><p class=”p2″> </p><p class=”p3″><strong><em>Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, one-year term</em></strong></p><p class=”p3″>• Rebecca Ryan, supervisor member. Ryan was also appointed to the Arts Council Board of Directors as a supervisor member;</p><p class=”p2″> </p><p class=”p3″><strong><em>Water Resource Agency Board of Directors, one-year terms</em></strong></p><p class=”p3″>• Brick, Daniel Leuer, Cheryl Ketchum, and Sandra King;</p><p class=”p3″><strong><em>GLOW Regional Solid Waste Management Committee, one-year terms</em></strong></p><p class=”p3″>• King, supervisor member;</p><p class=”p3″>• Jerry Davis, supervisor member; </p><p class=”p3″>• Daniel Leuer, alternate;</p><p class=”p2″> </p><p class=”p3″><strong><em>Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council, one-year terms</em></strong></p><p class=”p3″>• A.D. Berwanger, chairman member</p><p class=”p3″>• Leuer, chairman member/alternate;</p><p class=”p3″>• Davis, supervisor member, executive committee;</p><p class=”p2″> </p><p class=”p3″><strong><em>Industrial Development Agency Board of Directors, one-year terms</em></strong></p><p class=”p3″>• Berwanger and Ryan; </p><p class=”p3″>Business Education Council, one-year terms</p><p class=”p3″>• Brett Hastings, supervisor member/alternate;</p><p class=”p3″>• Keith Granger, supervisor member;</p><p class=”p2″> </p><p class=”p3″><strong><em>Inter-County Association of Western New York, one-year terms</em></strong></p><p class=”p3″>• Davis, Ellen Grant, and Copeland, all as members;</p><p class=”p3″>• Ryan and Ketchum, both as alternate members</p>

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