Fredonia homeowners are soon to have a historic gargantuan tax increase imposed on them with virtually no resistance by their own choice.

Notwithstanding, last year’s illegal and unprecedented tax of 6%, this dwarfs that by a factor of 12 times. If you go prior to last year you may as well say is 65 times the increase in one year. The justification for this — the same old New York state tired bureaucratic excuses – is that it’s illegal to lay off union employees, cutting services would degrade the village, and so on.

Juxtaposed to these excuses are the existentialist realities to the homeowner-resident of this taxation on the viability of living in the community. It will be non-feasible to many, and financially unwise for others to continue to exist here as these massive tax increases become the new norm every year.

The homeowners who leave will not be replaced by other homeowners. There is no industry here to incentivize transplanted replacements. The homes most likely will be acquired by Wall Street backed corporations who will turn Fredonia into one big rental zone.

Does Blackrock resonate with anyone? There is no industry and if we had any, the tax burden would be lessened. At best, you have a university that has been ravaged by a nearly 40% enrollment decline since the early 2000s and they pay no property tax, although it does contribute revenue in other ways.

The village trustees understand this reality, but don’t expect them to have the courage to hold the line for the taxpayer.

That is because it is more expedient to take the path of least resistance than dealing with the union’s wrath who they are beholden to. The same is true with school board members kowtowing to the teacher unions and other issues. The lack of significant public resistance in the budgetary process in village and school budgets is the apathy they count on.

It should be noted there is no moral imperative to keep any position filled or service going if there are not the funds to do so — although substantial increased forced taxation to do just that is immoral. To advocate for the latter results in failed Marxist Socialism. It is like forcing the public to invest in a failed company that is hemorrhaging year after year.

In a reduction process, you simply eliminate the position. This is how the federal government downsizes and federal employees are unionized to a large extent. Transferring village services to private sub contractors is an example that would also eliminate all the expensive employee insurance costs.

Whether most realize it or not, the financial reality of the continued existence of this village will only be feasible if there are significant consolidations, reductions, or a dissolution of the village. Same is true for the school district with its declined enrollment from years ago, dismal test scores, etc., where surely money could be saved with redistribution of staff, and other cost saving strategies.

How does this Board hold the line and be accountable to the taxpayer? It’s certainly evident that most graduates leave the area. There’s little financial opportunity for them here with the continued business decline and unsustainable taxation. People move to more favorable states.

Remember the Fredonia school district is pushing for another large percent increase this spring as well. At least residents can vote this down in May.

The village of Forestville was faced with this financial reality a decade ago and dissolved. It’s a good guess by understanding the human nature of apathy and procrastination that Fredonia taxpayers will ride the train until it’s too late.

William Burns is a Fredonia resident.