Fredonia Mayor Athanasia Landis is proposing no tax, water, or sewer increases in her mayor’s 2018-19 budget. Photo by Nicole Gugino

FREDONIA — Fredonia Mayor Athanasia Landis has prepared her budget with taxpayers’ wallets in mind. She is expected to present a budget with no tax increase to the village board during this evening’s special meeting.

“It has been challenging for the past few years,” Landis said. “In order to cut spending, we have eliminated personnel. Some of them need to be hired, unfortunately its harder to rehire them back. I’m trying to do part of that and be responsible at the same time. Our revenues didn’t go up, actually they went down. I don’t believe as of this morning that we will have to raise taxes, but we’re getting to the point where it’s not easy to provide the services we have.”

She said one of the ways she plans to keep taxes steady is through AIM, or Aid and Incentives for Municipalities. According to the New York State Comptroller’s Office, AIM is state aid provided to all of New York’s cities, towns and villages, totaling $717.4 million.

“If I don’t want to raise taxes, and I don’t, the state gives us money to continue to keep us functioning, which we have fallen so much behind on. It is an excellent unfairness, inequality and downright sometimes even discrimination,” Landis said.

According to the Comptroller’s website the village of Fredonia is set to receive $89,140 in 2018, the fourth most in Chautauqua County. All dollar amounts stayed the same from 2017. Fredonia’s AIM compares to the city of Jamestown’s over $4.5 million, Dunkirk’s over $1.5 million, Pomfret’s nearly $112,000 and the town of Busti’s $51,000.

For a full list go to www.budget.ny.gov/pubs/archive/fy18archive/enactedfy18/2017-18enactedAIM–allMun.pdf.

She said her budget also does not include a water or sewer rate increase, however, the final budget will be in the hands of the trustees.

The meeting will be held in village hall and will begin with a workshop at 6:30 p.m., immediately followed by the meeting.