Here are some of the best - and worst - of the week:
BEST
21 BRIX RECEIVES GRANT - 21 Brix in Portland received some good news from the federal government. The winery received a $299,999 grant from the USDA Rural Development to help market the new wine-making business at the Old Chautauqua Vineyards and create five and a half jobs. The Growers Cooperative Grape Juice Co., Inc. in Westfield also received a $45,000 grant,which will go toward the Grape Discovery Center.
CASSADAGA BUDGET - Cassadaga has been struggling with its water project for years, but at least their general budget is going in the right direction. At this week's village board meeting, the board authorized a 15-cent decrease per thousand, a 3.5 percent tax cut. It's not much. In fact, Trustees Ronald DeChard and Michael Lehnen voted against it, because they thought the budget could be even lower. This is a debate residents like to hear!
BASEBALL IS BACK - America's pastime has returned. This week officially marked the beginning of the Major League Baseball season. Although he's not a major leaguer, we wish good luck to former SUNY Fredonia Blue Devil Rob Herrman. Herrman will be playing for the Alpine Cowboys of the independent Pecos League in 2012.
WORST
FREDONIA TAX HIKE - In all fairness, Mayor Stephen Keefe has never talked much about cutting taxes. Instead, Keefe has said time and again that he wants to see money spent wisely, but to keep services at a premium. So it should come as no surprise to Fredonia residents that Keefe is calling for a $1.25 per thousand tax increase for 2012-13, as well as an increase by 20 cents per thousand gallons of water used. The county keeps talking about hiking property and/or sales tax; schools talk about increasing taxes and Keefe apparently feels the need to follow suit. Just remember, businesses do not vote at the polls; they vote by relocating to other places. As taxes go up, it's not just residents who are hurt; it's businesses also, and at some point, they're going to look at other places to go.
