I am writing to find out why the village of Fredonia receives special treatment from the town of Pomfret.

Let’s go over some facts. I contacted all the assessors for the towns in the north part of Chautauqua County that also have villages within their limits including the towns of Westfield, Portland, Pomfret and Hanover.

All the villages within these towns have village taxes set by their village boards.

These include the villages of Westfield, Brocton, Silver Creek, Forestville and Fredonia.

Now let’s move to the town taxes. In the town of Westfield, village residents pay the same rate as the citizens living outside the village. Brocton residents pay the same town rate to Portland as the residents that live outside the village. Forestville and Silver Creek residents actually pay a slightly higher tax to the town of Hanover than property owners who live outside of the villages.

Now come to Fredonia. They pay a whole lot less in town taxes than the those who live outside the village of Fredonia.

Why is this? I attempted to contact town supervisor to find out but I have yet to receive a return call. I thought the town representatives were supposed to treat all the town citizens the same and not put the whole tax burden on a few of its citizens.

If the town needs new equipment, why don’t they bond it out over the expected life of the equipment so it can be paid off a little at a time and not increase taxes so much. At the same time start a reserve fund for needed equipment in the future.

Peter Pett is a town of Pomfret resident.