Expedite the Unnecessary?
Westwood Country Club, 170 acres of greenspace, right now is owned by the Town of Amherst (TOA) after purchasing it for nearly $7.85 million, at an estimated 5% or more interest rate, less than a year ago (6/15/2023). Since then, the TOA has pushed an 11.42% property tax hike onto residents as Supervisor Kulpa said, per WGRZ’s Jan. 3, 2024 story;
Kulpa said those hikes came to fund increases for employee salaries and benefits as well as various projects in the town, including the conversion of 9,000 street lights to LED's, the transformation of the former Westwood Country Club into a new town park and plans to transform Boulevard Mall into residences and community spaces. He is looking to levy an additional $10 million in property taxes.
The Amherst Town Board overrode the 2%-3% tax levy cap all the way to 11.42% for a single year. Given the economy and recent events, the board needs to first focus on cutting spending, not increasing it on an unnecessary, expedited, & permanent development to a historical greenspace in Amherst. Residents have unanswered questions, concerns, and valid proposals that they feel the town board and specifically Supervisor Kulpa are ignoring. Furthermore, the expensive project provides nothing residents don’t already have in the TOA.
Ask yourself this, “Why such the hurry up rush to permanently develop greenspace and spend & issue debt of tens of millions of dollars for a piece of land that is causing no disruption as greenspace currently?”. Especially, just months after an 11.42% tax hike due to fiscal irresponsibility that caused the board to file vote to override a tax cap law in order to get a $10.5 million bailout from taxpayers. If taxpayers are expedite to foot the bill at this huge expense, rushing into it without going back to residents' to consult is inappropriate, selfish, & arrogant.
My message to Kulpa, board, and those involved - & residents should consider emailing (pertinent emails below) them the same message if they agree.
“Supervisor Kulpa,
Pause the Westwood development project. Focus on getting the budget and spending under control in 2024. Focus on listening & working with residents to regain trust & community. More spending, more debt, more unnecessary projects should not be expedited or actioned before these focuses are completed in full.
Without residents, there would be no Town Board.”
bkulpa@amherst.ny.us
toainfo@amherst.ny.us
jberger@amherst.ny.us
slavin@amherst.ny.us
mszukala@amherst.ny.us
aherrman@amherst.ny.us
dhoward@amherst.ny.us
acarrato@amherst.ny.us
jszatkowski@amherst.ny.us
sfitzpatrick@amherst.ny.us