These are desperate times for homeowners in America. People are losing their jobs and their homes, yet the very government that is supposed to be looking out for them is kicking them when they’re down.

With the economy being the worst since the Great Depression, now is not the time to hit homeowners with higher taxes and force them to spend thousands of dollars.

The Commissioner of Town of Amherst’s Building Department, Thomas C. Ketchum, P.E., sent out hundreds of nasty letters to Amherst homeowners on March 25^th, threatening them a big fine and/or jail time if they didn’t immediately spend thousands of dollars to replace the sidewalks which happen to be on the Town’s property.

In essence, the homeowners are the customers of the Town of Amherst. They pay their high taxes and expect to be treated with respect and kindness. To suddenly issue such a threatening letter at this time, is not only uncalled for, but insulting. The Town is literally biting the hand that feeds it. The following is a portion of the letter that threatens the good, hardworking homeowners a severe fine or jail time if they do not repair the sidewalks in the short two month time given them:

Failure to comply with this order will result in further enforcement action by the Town of Amherst. We may serve you with an appearance ticket for failure to comply with this order and the appropriate town ordinance. The possible penalty for conviction of the Property Maintenance Law is a maximum fine of $250 and/or fifteen days in jail for each separate violation.

With unemployment soaring and businesses failing, homeowners are having a hard time staying afloat and keeping their homes. To slap this added expense and stress onto the already overburdened homeowner is contemptuous. With the real estate tax rates continuously soaring, and some property owners facing bankruptcy, this is certainly not the time to force an additional expense upon them that they cannot afford.

There are several older property owners in our neighborhood that are on fixed incomes and are not in good general health. Forcing them to spend what could amount to thousands of dollars is downright criminal.

Unfortunately, the town ordnances are set up so that the homeowners are responsible for the repair of their sidewalks, even though they are on land owned by the Town of Amherst. We can only change these laws if we change those who "represent us" by those willing to make changes in these unfair ordnances. The homeowner should not be forced to make expensive repairs to sidewalks on Town of Amherst property!

This is supposed to be a government FOR the people, not AGAINST the people. With the Federal and State governments overspending and making a mess out of their budgets, it has gone down to the local level. In the end, it’s the taxpayers who have to pay for the mistakes made by those they have elected to represent THEM. For the Town of Amherst to force the struggling homeowners to shell out thousands of dollars during these turbulent economic times is insensitive to say the least. What makes it worse is that it is the Town of Amherst that should pay for the repairs of the sidewalks, especially if it is on land the Town owns.

The conditions of the sidewalks have not changed much in the last 30 years. To pick this time when there is an economic meltdown to force homeowners to spend thousands of dollars could be the straw that brakes their backs. It is imprudent for the Town of Amherst to be considerate and sensitive to the plight of homeowners who pay their very salaries.

After speaking to Amherst Building Department representative Joseph Frese, a list of concrete contractors has been obtained and we will actively get bids to get the best price along with the best possible quality of work. 

What do high Amherst taxes provide?

With the town property taxes continuously going up, we are constantly asking ourselves what services we are getting from these taxes? Our neighborhood has many needs that are not being addressed.

There have been robberies in our neighborhood, cars have been torched, the roads need repair and street lights should be installed for our safety. Instead of making our streets safer and improving the conditions of our neighborhood with the high real estate taxes we pay, the Town of Amherst is forcing immediate repairs to the sidewalks that are on the Town's property. 

There should also be a stop light put on the corner of Fenwick and Sheridan Drive. There have been numerous accidents on that corner of Sheridan as cars attempt to make left hand turns onto Sheridan Drive which is heavily congested with traffic. There was a death at that corner a few years back and it is a hazardous intersection without a stop light.

How Can we fight back?

We need to take back our streets (and sidewalks) and force the Town government to work for us and not against us. There are several older property owners in our neighborhood that are on fixed incomes and are not in good general health. To threaten huge fines and/or jail time if we do not immediately make repairs to the sidewalks is downright criminal.

A neighborhood community group should be formed to fight this. Even if we eventually have to make the repairs, we might be able to get an extension of the deadline. Also, we could get quotes from contractors and get a group rate to help lighten the expense.

We can attend town board meetings and voice our displeasure of these mandated sidewalk repairs with letters, email addresses and phone calls. 

It is important that you write, call or email Thomas Ketchum to complain about this mandate to make immediate (and very expensive) repairs to our sidewalks. This comes as homeowners are having hard financial times and couldn't come at a worse possible time. 

We have a message board now! You can vent your anger towards the town forcing us to make expensive sidewalk repairs here...

TAKE BACK OUR STREETS MESSAGE BOARD

http://takebackourstreets.proboards.com

Feel free to visit our message board and send a letter or email to the town to complain:

Contact information for the Town of Amherst Building Department:

Thomas C. Ketchum 
Amherst Building Department 
Building Commissioner 
5583 Main Street
Williamsville, New York 14221

Phone: 631.7080 (ext. 7100)
Email: tketchum@amherst.ny.us