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OLEAN TIMES HERALD 716-372-3121 • BRADFORD PUBLISHING COMPANY
Drug overdoses in Bolivar, and how to Allegany County address them, subject of forum in March seeks extra sales tax rate through 2023 By BOB CLARK
Submitted Photo The Bolivar Fire Department, shown here, will be the location for a public forum March 26 to discuss the drug overdose issue in the community.
By KATE DAY SAGER BOLIVAR — Andee Cole-Higley remembers times where there were three drug overdoses in one hour heard on the emergency scanner in the small town of Bolivar. As a beautician in the community, Cole-Higley also hears everything that doesn’t come over the scanner, and much of it regards the drug abuse problem in town that is affecting the young. For that reason, Cole-Higley, founder of Bolivar Against Drugs, or B.A.D., has organized a public forum to address the problem at 6 p.m. March 26 in the Bolivar Fire Hall at 460 Main St. Organizations and individuals invited include Partners for Prevention in Allegany County, Allegany Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Sheriff Rick Whitney, New York State Police and the Allegany County District Attorney’s office. Also invited are the Knights Creek Church ‘Celebrate Recovery’ facilitator, The Hope Center in Wellsville, the Founder of Winning Olean Back, as well as local law enforcement and first responders. “We are a community-based group that has taken the initiative to assist in the prevention of substance abuse
in Bolivar,” Cole-Higley said. The organization uses the “collaborative efforts of local agencies including town and village offices, county offices, primary and secondary school systems, community establishments and members” with the hope is to provide accessible and fundamental resources to eliminate the drugs that have had a negative impact in town. A native of Bolivar and owner of Headlines Hair Studio in town, Cole-Higley knows of many of the issues in town. She also knows of the calls that have come over the scanner to the fire department. “It’s almost like a constant with the scanner for an ambulance to be called for an overdose,” Cole-Higley shared. “It’s gotten completely out of hand.” Cole-Higley said she started the group, as well as a Facebook page Bolivar Against Drugs, to address the issue. She hopes a formal gathering will bring people together to provide even more ideas to combat the crisis. “When I started this, I had spoken with some employees (at a local store) in town and they were scared to death to go to work during the night shift,” Cole-Higley claimed. “They saw (the addicts) coming in there either strung out or walking in
overdosed already.” Through the advice of the aforementioned county organizations, ColeHigley started the Facebook page to post public locations where addicts gathered. “I basically posted for public knowledge,” she explained. “My parents are elderly and didn’t know what was going on” in public areas where drug use was occuring. Cole-Higley said the posts helped, but she reached out to other agencies, as well. “I called the state police, their Drug Task Force, and they promised me they would step up patrol units in town,” Cole-Higley continued. “So we have noticed the state police around more often.” She noted the sheriff’s office has also beefed up its patrols in the community. In addition, the Bolivar-Richburg Central School District which has arranged for speaker Ron James to visit Feb. 24 to address the students during the day, as well as the community during the evening. “He basically was an addict and he’s been in prison, and he basically straightened his life around,” she said of James. “He’s going to come and put a positive outlook on getting out of the addiction aspect” of life.
BELMONT — Higher sales tax rates are likely to stay on the receipts of Allegany County residents for another three years. The Allegany County Board of Legislators votes 11-1 on Monday to request the state extend the county’s additional sales tax rate through November 2023. Currently, the state collects 4% sales and use tax on most transactions. The county collects 3% normally, but since 2004 has collected an additional 1.5%, bringing the total sales tax rate in the county to 8.5%. However, few legislators were happy to be in favor of the request. “It amounts to something over $7 million that we would have to put on our property taxes,” said Majority Leader Mike Healy, R-Belmont, noting the county would be over its legal property tax limit if that were the case. Under the state Constitution, counties are limited to collecting property taxes equal to 1.5% of the five-year average full valuation of the real property in the county. According to the resolution proposed Monday, the county is at 82.33% of its limit. “It has been up into the 90s from time to time,” said Chairman Curt Crandall, R-Belfast,
adding the county is also to lose about $500,000 in sales tax revenue because the state chose to use sales tax collections to cover the Aid and Incentives to Municipalities aid granted to towns and villages. “We are taxed to death,” said Dave Decker, R-Cuba, who voted against the last extension in 2017. And the higher rate is likely here to stay. “I don’t think in any short-term view that we do (lower it),” said Crandall. “It would force us to raise property taxes or reduce services.” Voting in opposition was Gary Barnes, RWellsville. Legislators Karl Graves, R-Wellsville, Dwight Fanton, R-Willing, and Judy Hopkins, R-Fillmore, were absent from Monday’s meeting. “I just think that we have ½% more … is kind of a black eye for our county,” Barnes said. Like legislators have done for more than a decade, Barnes said he proposed slightly lowering the rate — to a 1.4% additional tax — as a show of good faith to taxpayers, but the $450,000 loss of revenue drew limited support from his fellow lawmakers. The sales tax extension resolutions have typically received some See SALES TAX pg 5...
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