I am forwarding this news article I read in Mid Hudson News (www.midhudsonnews.com/2024/12/22/legislature-approves-reallocation-of-kent-arpa-funds/) about Putnam County’s decision to allocate $5 million of its American Rescue Plan Act funds to its municipalities. In addition to this, the county also shared another $5 million of its sales tax revenue with the municipalities. How wonderful it would be if the Sullivan County Legislature were as giving as Putnam County!

I ask those who read this to please forward it to every legislator, Sullivan County Manager Potosek, Sullivan County Treasurer Nancy Buck and the Sullivan County attorney. I would also request that District 5 Legislator Cat Scott read aloud the article to the full legislature at its next full meeting.

I, as well as the rest of the town supervisors and village mayors in the county, have long requested a revenue-sharing plan to be put in place in Sullivan County and feel it is long past due. The ever increasing sales and “room” taxes generated in every one of our municipalities throughout Sullivan County have provided that opportunity, without inflicting a negative impact on the county’s financial well-being.

Revenue generated from the Resorts World Casino, that only benefits the county and the Town of Thompson, is another possible revenue source that could be distributed equally among all of the municipalities. I have heard that New York’s governor is expected to sign into law a new measure that would impose a never-before-seen sales tax on all of the short-term rental properties that have exploded in numbers throughout the county in recent years. That would only increase the sales tax revenue, which has more than doubled since the former supervisor of the Town of Liberty, Charlie Barbuti, and I presented a very reasonable and justifiable revenue sharing plan to the county legislature several years ago.

I and my fellow supervisors and village mayors are eager to meet immediately following the holidays with the legislature to work cooperatively to once and for all implement a mutually agreed upon plan that will benefit all of the residents and businesses in Sullivan County.

A happy new year to everyone.

Town of Callicoon Supervisor Tom Bose
Jeffersonville, NY