By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
LITTLE VALLEY — Cattaraugus County employees — some of whom were in danger of losing their jobs — spoke Wednesday of their concern on the impact to public health at a public hearing on the $296.7 million county budget.
Among the 84 jobs set to be abolished in the tentative 2026 budget are 12 community health nurses in the health department, only four of which are vacant. Other positions abolished in the budget are three supervising community health nurses and two home health aides.
Taking the salary and fringe benefits out of the budget will save the health department more than $2.5 million next year. Adding up all the savings from positions currently filled that are being abolished totals more than $5.1 million
The budget abolishes a total of 26 health department positions — 16 of which are currently filled. Four of the positions to be abolished are currently occupied by employees who plan to retire next year.
Twenty-two of the 84 positions to be abolished are currently filled. The county legislature has delayed backfilling positions that became open over much of the past two years.
County Administrator Kelly Reed said after employees whose jobs are being abolished bump down into other county jobs, she expects about five workers to lose their positions.
Ten speakers — mostly all county employees from the health and social services departments — urged the Republican legislators to reconsider the steep cuts.
One speaker said the legislature should treat the importance of health care as a government service instead of a business. Another said it was impractical to reduce services for residents who are medically fragile. Another speaker expressed concern over the impact of the cuts on other employees forced to pick up additional duties.
One woman said the impact on patients — seniors, people who live in rural areas and those requiring ongoing services — will be real. Home care reduces hospitalizations and the length of stay in a hospital, she said. The cuts will result in fewer visits and longer wait times, which translates into “a reduction in the quality of care.”
Linda Witte, a former legislator and mayor of Olean, and a nurse, told legislators “you are our safety net.” She said that when she was a legislator, two of her priorities were “public safety and public health.” Health department nurses will be more in demand if there are cuts at Olean General Hospital, she warned.
Sherri Ambuske, president of the local CSEA General Bargaining Unit said the more than 80 positions across 10 department “are not just line items in a budget, but real people with real families” — taxpayers, county residents and the people who provide community services daily.
“If these cuts move forward, not only will it harm the employees who have kept this county going, it will.have a negative impact on all your constituents,” Ambusky said. “Cutting critical staff is short sighted. It’s damaging and puts both workers and our communities at risk.”
Theresa Roth, a health department employee, said the home care agency employees care for the sick, disabled and elderly.”These are life changing, critical services that provide our community with hospital-level care in the comfort of their own homes.”
Erin Washburn, an assistant health educator, said, “Reducing services to these people is not only demoralizing, it is impractical. And even if we look at this as though we are a business, these cuts would still not make any logical sense.”
Rick Joziak of the social services department, said he’s found employees working under stressful on-call and confrontational conditions. Social Services employees need better support and recognition, he added.
The last speaker, Joseph Baker, whose job is being abolished, said he’d been advised on bumping, but “I don’t want to be the reason why someone else who has a family loses their job.”
At the conclusion of the hearing, which lasted about 20 minutes, Legislature Chairman Andrew Burr, R-Gowanda, thanked those who attended. “We’re about to take a vote that many of you are not going to like, but we’re going to do our duty.”
“Does that mean that you already decided it’s going to pass?” one woman asked as Burr pounded the gavel for silence..
Legislators proceeded to vote on budget resolutions including the $296.7 million tentative budget with its $60.4 million tax levy, up $1.5 million, or 2.58% over the current amount raised by property taxes.
The budget carries a full value tax rate of $8.15 per $1,000, down 14 cents. That is the lowest the full value tax rate has been since 1983. This year’s budget does not rely on the use of fund balance to reduce the 2026 tax rate.
Town and city tax rates were also set by resolution. The City of Olean’s tax rate went up 2.47% to $11.47 per $1,000. In the City of Salamanca, the tax rate went up 5.9% to $74.17 per $1,000.
Other area towns tax rate and the change from 2025 include Allegany, $12.53 per $1,000, up 0.25%; Portville, $15.54, up 3.51%; Hinsdale, $13.57, up 5.4%; Franklinville, $8.15, down 1.75%.
Littler Valley had the largest increase, 10.57% to $20.36 per $1,000, while Great Valley had the steepest drop, 38.09% to $8.14 per $1,000.
The reason for the wide range of increases and decreases is the impact of each municipalities equalization rate. If towns and cities do not keep assessments current, the state provides an equalization rate based largely on the sale of other similar homes in the municipality. That rate is applied to the county tax rate to equalize the value of property for tax purposes. The closer to 100 the rate is, the better.
In Cattaraugus County, the equalization rates vary from a low of 11 in the City of Salamanca and Town of Yorkshire to a high of 100% in Ashford, Coldspring, East Otto, Farmersville, Franklinville, Great Valley, Napoli, New Albion, Otto, Perrysburg, Persia and Red House.
The 2026 town and city tax rates and the increase/decrease are:
Allegany — $12.53, 0.25%
Ashford — $8.14, -1.74%
Carrollton — $14.54, 5.28%
Coldspring — $8.14, -1.83%
Conewango — $19.86, -0.51%
Dayton – $9.41, 2.26%
East Otto – $8.14, -1.7%
Ellicottville — $15.22, 0.10%
Farmersville — $8.14, -1.75%
Franklinville — $8.15, -1.7%
Freedom — $8.31, 0.24%
Great Valley — $8.14, -38.09%
Hinsdale — $13.57, 5.4%
Humphrey — $13.80, 4.9%
Ischua — $13.57, 4.87%
Leon — $12.72, -2.88%
Little Valley — $20.36, 10.57%
Lyndon — $13.35, 9.59%
Machias — $8.85 6.78%
Mansfield — $10.11, 6.01%
Napoli — $8.14, -1.72%
New Albion — $8.14, -1.76%
Olean (City) — $11.47, 2.47%
Olean (Town) — $16.29, -3.76%
Otto — $8.14, -1.72%
Perrysburg — $8.14, -1.73%
Persia — $8.14, -1.7%
Portville —$14.54, 3.51%
Randolph — $16.45, 6.20%
Red House — $8.14, -1.76%
Salamanca (City) — $74.17, 5.9%
Salamanca (Town) — $13.35, 3.1%
South Valley — $16.97, 6.43%
Yorkshire — $74.07, -1.75%
