St. Lawrence County organizes for sales tax increase

CANTON — St. Lawrence County has formed an alliance with other counties in the state denied a sales tax increase to persuade state legislators to pass home-rule legislation so they can make their own decisions about their finances.

“We all have issues that are similar,” said Legislature Chairwoman Sallie A. Brothers, D-Norfolk. “We’re at the end of the line. If I have a choice, I’d rather pay an increase in the sales tax than in property taxes.”

During the New York State Association of Counties meeting in Albany earlier this week, St. Lawrence County representatives met with some of their counterparts from other counties.

“We’re going to try to work out a multiple strategy,” Mrs. Brothers said. “We’re going to work on joint resolutions. We’re pulling all our stuff together and having a united front. We cannot sit back in complacency.”

Like St. Lawrence, most of the counties it met with collect a 7 percent sales tax, 4 percent of which goes to the state. Essex County wants to increase the percentage it retains from 3.75 percent to 4 percent.

“We are continually losing state and federal revenue. We’ve done everything we can to cut costs,” said Daniel L. Palmer, Essex County manager. “Counties that remained at a 7 percent sales tax are really being punished for holding that down.”

When St. Lawrence County wanted the option of raising its sales tax last year, state Sens. Joseph A. Griffo, R-Rome, and Patricia A. Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, refused to introduce home-rule legislation that would give the county the authority. It had support in the Assembly from Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa.

Essex County has run into the same problem with its senator, Elizabeth O’C. Little, R-Queensbury, while its Assembly representative, Teresa R. Sayward, R-Willsboro, is willing to introduce the legislation.

Even more relevant than bringing in additional money in sales tax is counties having the power to decide their own destinies rather than having to plead with the state every time renewals of the sales tax increases come up, Mr. Palmer said.

“Ultimately, we want to have a resolution that goes to the state to address the fairness issue,” he said. “The state never has to reconsider the 4 percent it receives.”

St. Lawrence County has sought an increase in sales tax as a way to collect more money for services from Canadians crossing the border to shop and from college students.

Mr. Palmer thinks it makes more sense to collect more in sales tax from visitors to Lake Placid than in property taxes from Essex County’s 38,000 full-time residents.

“We’re just trying to match what Franklin and Clinton counties have,” he said.