RUFFLES REPORTS:
May Sales-Tax Check Here:
26% Lower Than Last Year
By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
COOPERSTOWN – The May sales-tax check arrived at 197 Main St. today, and County Treasurer Allen Ruffles reports it is 26.9 percent lower than last year’s May check.
That is a reduction of slightly less than $600,000, he said, but higher than the 25 percent NYSAC estimated.
The sales-tax allocations are issued every other month, and Otsego County’s largest ones will be known in July and September, reflecting summer business –- or the lack of summer business.
The good news, such as it is, is that Otsego’s percentage reduction is not as great as in some counties, Ruffles said a few minutes ago: “We were down by a lot. But by no means were we down the most.”
Orleans County, to the east of Niagara County, near Buffalo, saw a 45 percent reduction, he reported.
Chenango County, west of here, was down 29 percent. Schoharie, to the east, did a little better, 17 percent. Madison, across Unadilla Creek from Edmeston and Plainfield, saw a 33 percent dip.
St. Lawrence County in the North Country, home to SUNY Potsdam, Clarkson, and Canton Ag & Tech – all closed – saw a 22 percent dip.