The Niagara USA Chamber has been a long time member of the Niagara Military Affairs Council. The NIMAC Board has been working vigorously on strategies to keep the air base open and fully staffed as the Federal government looks to ways to trim the military budget. Indeed, you may have read some good news about the Niagara Falls Airbase in the press recently (see article below). While we are cautiously optimistic, the issue is far from resolved.  Rest assured, the Chamber is involved in analyzing this announcement to really figure out what this means to our community. We will communicate with you further as more information becomes available.  _________________________________________________________________

LOCKPORT- Niagara County lawmakers approved a $321.8 million spending plan Tuesday night in Lockport, with a slight 1.2 percent property tax rate increase that is below the county’s legally-required 2 percent tax cap. 

The approved budget sets a full value tax rate of $7.72 per $1,000 of assessed value, up slightly from the $7.63 rate in the 2012 spending plan.  Despite the minimal uptick in rates, the fiscally conservative budget maintains deep cuts in county tax rates achieved over the course of the past decade, with taxes still sharply lower than the $8.78 per $1,000 rate reached in 2004. 

The budget passed the 15-member Niagara County Legislature by a 10-5 vote. (more…)