I doubt anything was acted on in yesterdays session. Monroe just like the majority of the counties are sinking under the excessive weight of Albany mandates. We are ordered to do do this, ordered to spend that, ordered to hire all their political patronage and we pay. It is time to force our representatives to start speaking for us and not the mafia bosses in the Assembly and Senate.

Democrat & Chronicle: Local News

ALBANY - The state Assembly plans today to approve a reauthorization of the sales-tax rate in Monroe County, a move that local officials say is critical to maintaining revenue to fund services.

The state Senate on Monday night approved legislation to keep the sales-tax rate in Monroe County at 8 cents on the dollar. The Assembly plans to approve it this afternoon, according to Assembly aides.

The so-called “last penny” of the county’s sales tax brings in about $100 million in revenue to Monroe County and its local sharing partners, including the city of Rochester and towns and villages.

Without the reauthorization, the sales tax would drop to 7 cents, a major blow to the revenue of local governments. Already, the city of Rochester was bracing for a loss of about $3 million to $4 million if the sales-tax rate dropped.

In New York, the state keeps the first 4 cents of the sales tax on goods and services. Counties keep the rest. Anything above the 3 cents requires legislative approval every two years.

Monroe’s 8-cent sales-tax rate expires at year’s end.

Still, some opposition to the idea is expected in the Democratic-controlled Assembly. It was approved unanimously in the Senate.

Assemblymen Joseph Morelle, D-Irondequoit, and David Koon, D-Perinton, were expected to vote against the measure. Democrats are angered by Republican County Executive Maggie Brooks’ plan to pull some sales-tax revenue away from schools to pay for Medicaid expenses.

Koon said his main concern is growing taxes in New York and the county, saying “Monroe County is already overtaxed.”

Suffolk County on Long Island was also expected to get its sales-tax rate reauthorized. The county currently has an 8.25 cents sales-tax rate.

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