Lyons, N.Y.—Voters in the village of Lyons will have more to consider than their representatives this fall. Members of the village will choose whether to keep or dissolve their village government.
“People just feel that we’re taxed a lot and our services aren’t that great,” said Jack Baliey, of Lyons.
Bailey started the petition and said he has inked 241 signatures, enough for the issue to reach a referendum for voters November 6th.
“If there’s a huge, huge savings which is yet to be proved, maybe there is a reason for dissolution, but nobody has come up with that study,” said Corrine Kleisle, Village Mayor.
Village property owners in Lyons pay a higher effective tax rate than those with property anywhere else in the Finger Lakes Region according to a 2011 study by the Empire Center For New York State Policy.
“The average effective tax rate in Lyons came to $52.33 per $1,000 of property value, compared to a Finger Lakes regional median of $33.96 and a statewide median of $27.43,” said the report.
There are plans to hold informational hearings between now and November according to Kleisle. The New York Conference of Mayors is expected to help provide information for voters so they know more about the financial impact of dissolution.
