The Rochester metro area is somewhat unique in that the city and the county of Monroe share sales tax revenue as a result of the Morin-Ryan Agreement of 1985. Negotiated between Republican County Executive Lucien Morin and Democratic City Mayor Thomas Ryan, it gives the city far more money than it would otherwise get. But the county is facing a budget gap and Maggie Brooks is implying the agreement is in jeopardy. Brooks and the GOP wanted to raise the sales tax rate from 8% to 8.75% but state Democrats (the state has to approve a sales tax increase) refused. So instead, they’re going after the agreement, which requires no state approval to change or eliminate.
For some reason, Brooks and the GOP seem to think that the county property tax is this horrific burden and refuse to even consider raising it. Democrats, on the other hand, see the property tax as targeting those (property owners) with the most money. To them a sales tax increase, which ostensibly affects everyone, unfairly burdens those with the least (most of them city residents). It’s a split along obvious political (and city/county) lines.
If Brooks has her way, and more of the sales tax revenue stays with the county, it will push the responsibility to make up the funding deficits on to the city, towns and villages. It’s a neat political ploy that allows them to say, “Hey, we didn’t raise your taxes, they did!”
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