Skip to main content

County's sales tax legislation reaches the governor's desk today

By Howard B. Owens

Sources say the legislation necessary to implement a new 40-year sales tax sharing agreement between Genesee County and the City of Batavia has been delivered to the desk of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

He now has 10 days to sign it or veto it or let the deadline pass (known as a pocket veto).

The bill incrementally shifts sales tax revenue previously shared with towns and villages with that revenue targeted to pay off bonds for a proposed $60 to $65 million jail and for water infrastructure projects.

As The Batavian reported exclusively two days ago, with the bill lingering in Albany, unsigned, the county was in danger of going without a sales tax agreement in 2020 and that County legislators felt it necessary to suspend the planning process for the new jail.

If the bill is signed, there will be a sales tax sharing agreement in 2020 and jail funding can be secured.

The state's Corrections Commission is requiring Genesee County to replace its substandard jail.

Previously: Plans for new $65 million jail put on hold while governor dawdles on sales tax legislation

Authentically Local