NARROWSBURG -— At the start of the Tusten town council meeting Tuesday night, Supervisor Carol Wingert wanted to inform residents about the issue of sales tax within Sullivan County.

For about three years, the Town Supervisors Association, which includes supervisors from all 15 towns, has asked the county to share a portion of sales tax revenue.

However, just recently, the county issued their position that they will not share the sales tax. Wingert and other supervisors were not pleased with the decision.

“I'm very disappointed in our entire legislature,” Wingert said at the meeting.

She explained that the towns' proposal was to share only a portion of sales tax revenue, and that even $10,000 would be a big help to a small town like Tusten's budget, and would allow them to stay under the two percent tax cap and not raise taxes.

Wingert said the county cited rising costs in their budget that deterred them from sharing the sales tax revenue, with large projects such as the new county jail. The county also said they already provide help to the towns in the form of shared services, such as plowing roads. But, Wingert said, the county doesn't plow town roads, and that is a cost that the town takes on.

Councilman Tony Ritter said he wants each legislator to state his or her position on the issue. “These are elected officials just like we are elected officials, we are due an answer, especially in an election year [on] where they stand,” Ritter said.

He said that Tusten should receive a portion of the sales tax because the town brings in many visitors to the river valley area.

“The economy has improved, and we don't want to wait for the next recession, which will eventually come, and then it's going to be off the table,” Ritter said.