Staff Reports
SOMERSET — SOMERSET — The Barker School District and Town of Somerset plan special meetings today to vote on a resolution to resolve the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes dispute with the AES coal-burning power plant. A related resolution is expected to be a late entry on the Niagara County Legislature agenda today.
AES is the biggest taxpayer in the county, with the money going to the school district, county and the town. The school board meeting is at 7 p.m., and the town board meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.
The school district gets the most money in taxes from AES, and the county is next in line.
“It’s big enough,” Legislature Chairman William Ross said Monday. “We’re trying to avoid more court time. Every time we go to court, it’s ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching. The assessment problem’s been around with us some time.”
The town and the school pursued an appeal of the AES PILOT agreement, which was approved by the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency in 2006. The NCIDA is appealing the appellate court decision which overturned the PILOT to the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals.
Town Supervisor Richard Meyers would not divulge the details of the agreement, but expects the town board to pass an agreement with AES at the meeting today. The AES agreement with the town, school board and county are virtually the same, he said.
Ross has approved the addition of the AES resolution to the county’s agenda. Legislature Majority Leader Richard E. Updegrove and Minority Leader Dennis F. Virtuoso also must approve the late resolution.
