MAYVILLE – The Chautauqua Town Board has approved its budget for 2024, with not only the lowest tax rate in the county, but one of the lowest in the state.

According to Supervisor Don Emhardt, the town board has approved a $5 million budget for next year. It has a levy of $650,000. This year’s levy, the amount collected by taxes, was $950,000.

In 2023, the tax rate for Chautauqua town residents who live outside the village of Mayville was 70.5 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation. For Mayville residents, the town tax rate was $1.60 per $1,000 assessed valuation.

Emhardt said he was uncertain what the tax rates will be for 2024, but added it should be “around 30% decrease in taxes.” He said there were some final numbers that haven’t been settled from the county.

There are no major projects or anything else in the budget. There are some equipment purchases planned in the 2024 budget, but Emhardt said they will be split over two years because that’s generally how long it takes to arrive.

Earlier this month, the Dunkirk Town Board had passed its 2024 budget with an 83-cents per $1,000 property tax rate. Officials there said it was the lowest in the county, something Emhardt took exception to.

He said the town of Chautauqua is almost always the lowest in the county and added that it’s one of, if not the lowest, town tax rate in the state. He did say there may be a town or two near New York City with very high property values that has a lower tax rate.