Stephentown Sets Tax Levy Increase At 5.2 %

by David Flint
At a special meeting on November 19, the Stephentown Town Board adopted a budget for 2011 that calls for an overall increase in the tax levy of 5.2%. This figure includes the Fire District budget. The Board at a budget hearing and workshop on November 8 pared down the tentative budget presented at their meeting in October that would have resulted in a levy increase of close to 11%.
The tentative budget decreased General Fund spending by 1.8% and kept the Highway Department increase down to 6%. The adopted budget cuts the General Fund expenditures by 3.1% and drops the increase in Highway spending to 3.9%. The Highway increase is largely accounted for by the amount of $33,500 that was added to an equipment item that will be drawn on to make payment on the road grader that was purchased this year. It also includes an estimated 17% increase for health insurance. The total amount of projected expenditures, including $145,500 for the Fire District, comes to $1,395,212.
Town Board members agreed that this time around less money should be taken from the unexpended fund balance even if that meant an increase in taxes. Last year over $100,000 was used to produce a reduction in the tax levy. For the 2011 budget, only $64,000 will be used.
Board Takes Pay Cuts
Most Town departments will see a reduction in their funding. The only salary increases are for Highway Department staff, including the Superintendent, who will receive 3% and the Deputy Town Clerk whose $1,523 increase will be taken from the Town Clerk’s salary. The $6,180 increase for the Clerk to the Supervisor, which is now a full-fledged bookkeeper position, is also offset by a decrease in the Town Supervisor’s salary which drops from $14,829 to $8,000. The other Town Board Members also agreed to accept a substantial cut in pay taking their salaries from $4,699 each to $4,000.
The Youth Commission is taking a serious hit. Funded this year at $48,673, the budgeted amount for 2011 is $26,500. Funding of the Stephentown Memorial Library will be cut by 5% to $40,500. Funding for the Heritage Center and for Seniors’ trips will be cut by 10%, bringing those amounts to $5,850 and $11,700 respectively. The Board reasoned that by reducing the cut to the Library from 10% to 5%, they would blunt some of the impact of the youth program cutback. The Library, they believe, is offering many more programs for youth and has been working cooperatively with the Youth Commission to develop programs.