Resolutions: Legislator Mills demands implementation of performance based budgeting Legislator Mills seeks to open Emery and Chestnut Ridge parks to snowboarders Legislator Mills co-sponsors resolution to end the exploitation of children via the Internet Legislator Mills seeks to save taxpayer money by utilizing GPS technology Mills joins Christ the King Seminary in celebrating 150 years!

John J. Mills - District 13 Mills Fights for STAR Program Reforms A RESOLUTION SUBMITTED BY LEGISLATORS WEINSTEIN, MILLS, RANZENHOFER & LOCKLEAR Re: STAR Programs Application in Erie County & the role of the Local State Delegation WHEREAS, Erie, Monroe, Westchester, Onondaga, and Wayne Counties share sales tax revenue with school districts and, WHEREAS, the current STAR benefit system is calculated locally using property tax revenues as the sole local component and, WHEREAS, the sales tax revenue these counties distribute to local school districts is not credited in the local share for calculation of the STAR benefit and, WHEREAS, as these counties increase school district funding with sales tax revenues, the state STAR program benefit for residents does not increase and, WHEREAS, if sales tax figures were included in the calculation of STAR benefits, county residents would receive an increase of twenty five million dollars in their STAR benefit without experiencing an increase in their school district tax rates and, WHEREAS, residents of counties that provide support for school districts, by sharing sales tax revenue, should not be adversely affected or penalized with lower STAR benefits because of the sharing of their counties and, WHEREAS, changing the formula for calculating STAR benefit amounts would return an additional $25 million to Erie County taxpayers and have an economic impact benefit of $100 million and, WHEREAS, changing the formula for calculating STAR benefits has no impact on school district tax rates and has no adverse impact on Erie County taxpayers and, WHEREAS, the original STAR resolution submitted by the administration that changed school district tax rates was received and tabled by the legislature as unworkable and, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Erie County Legislature requests that the local state delegation introduce and support legislation that would include sales tax revenues destined for school districts to be included in the calculation of the local share for STAR benefits and be it further, RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Honorable Eliot Spitzer, Governor of the State of New York, the Honorable Sheldon Silver, Speaker of the New York State Assembly, the Honorable Joseph L. Bruno, Majority Leader of the New York State Senate, to all public officials serving in Monroe, Westchester, Onondaga, and Wayne Counties, as well as to Members of the New York State Legislative Delegation. Fiscal Impact: Positive for Erie County Back to District 13 Homepage