Dissolving the Village of Painted Post and consolidating it with the Town of Erwin would greatly reduce taxes, residents were told Thursday night.
Village taxes would drop from the current $20.52 to $12.68 per $1,000 of assessed property value, according to a report by the Center for Government Research, a Rochester-based consulting firm.
Town taxes would change little from the consolidation.
The report was presented Thursday to a nine-member committee studying the possibility of the two municipalities sharing services or consolidating entirely. The committee includes representatives from both the village and the town.
“Village growth has been less than inflation,” said Charles Zettek, of Center for Government Research. “The town is higher than inflation.”
“That’s pretty scary,” said Philip Roche, committee chairman.
“Village finances leave room for improvement,” Zettek said.
The firm’s report did not include the village’s plan to sell water for use in the Pennsylvania natural gas drilling operations, which could generate $2.6 million annually.
“That will make the (tax) savings even better,” Roche said.
Joseph Reilly – chair of a sub-committee studying the village and town’s water, sewer, public works and highway operations – said consolidating departments would best serve the residents.
“It would be good for the taxpayers,” Reilly said.
