Binghamton Mayoral Candidates Talk Plans to Lower Taxes

WBNG reported on mayoral candidates ideas about addressing taxes. Nonprofits are definitely drawing attention regarding this issue. As the article relates:

An Independent candidate for Binghamton mayor vows to reduce taxes in 4 years, or not seek re-election.
But as Action News reporter Gabe Osterhout tells us, his opponents say his plan won't work as well as he thinks it will.
Douglas Drazen has several ideas to lower taxes in the City of Binghamton, which could keep people from moving out.
He says that can only be accomplished by getting the city's priorities straight by putting necessity before luxury.
"We will lower taxes. We will lower taxes more than once and if at the end of my first term in office, taxes are not lower than they are now, I won't seek a second term in office. That's my pledge to the beleaguered tax payers," Drazen says.
Mayor Matt Ryan says Drazen's ideas won't have a big impact on the budget.
Including Drazen's plan to eliminate garbage services to non-profit agencies, who don't pay for it through taxes.
Drazen says it would save money on fuel, man hours and wear and tear on city vehicles.
Ryan says it could end up costing the city.
"Everyone of them I called has private garbage collection already and if they don't that means they contribute to the revenue, as our garbage men go by their properties anyway, by putting it out in green bags which covers our tipping fees," says Ryan.
Another plan would be to eliminate most of the clerical staff in city hall, including in the mayor's office.
Drazen feels by putting a receptionist on each floor instead of each office, city hall would run more efficiently.
Republican candidate Rich David disagrees.
"Not only would it not save money, it wouldn't be efficient or effective. Somebody who has no idea how city hall runs on a daily basis has no idea the volume of calls that might come into the mayor's office, or public works when it snows, or engineering," David says.
This November, it'll be up to the voters to decide what plan to try, and which will one will be put out to the curb.
In Binghamton, Gabe Osterhout, WBNG-TV Action News.
David says Drazen's non-profit plan sounds similar to his Fair Share Program.
It asks non-profits to pay a part of the services businesses pay full price for via taxes.
Ryan says Drazen doesn't understand the city's financial troubles and is only tinkering around the edges.