It’s likely the Fredonia Village Board will approve its 2024-25 spending plan tonight during a meeting. What began as a nearly 20% property tax increase has been lowered to 5.85%.

That’s still over the tax cap and unacceptable to some residents who have spoken out during recent hearings, including last week. Julie Tedone said, “My husband and I moved here about eight years ago and we found Fredonia to be a wonderful, welcoming place to live. I would hate to see people just pack up and leave, sell their homes and go someplace more affordable.”

That opinion needs to be a major concern. But residents here who are upset with tax increases have an entirely different tune when it comes to education. Next month, voters will decide on the Fredonia Central Schools spending plan, which ups taxes 1.71%.

Rarely does anyone complain. Over the last two decades, it’s unusual for a school budget vote to be defeated.

Residents always overwhelmingly approve the increases. Fast fact: school taxes are the biggest burden to area property owners.

While we’re glad to see residents – and former officials — engaged in the village budget, where is this same faction with the schools?