Grafton Town Board Gives Final Approval To 2017 Budget

By Doug La Rocque
By unanimous vote, the Town Board moved the preliminary budget to the final spending plan with a 3% tax increase, or $1.31 per thousand of assessed valuation. The budget calls for $1.2 million in spending, with increases in Buildings, Youth Programs, Supervisor’s Secretary and Employee benefits, offset by revenue increases in County Sales Tax, Time Warner Franchise Fees, Youth Programs and a transfer of $10,600 from the Unexpended Fund Balance.[private] The actual amount in the General Fund decreases by 13.5% percent but is offset by an 8.2% percent increase in Highway Department spending.
Speaking with The Eastwick Press after the Thursday, November 17 special meeting, Town Supervisor Ingrid Gundrum said “I would go back to the beginning of the process and say that I commend the Board members for being diligent and working together all the way through. Every step of the way we have communicated with each other and were able to come up with what our vision for the Town is in a cohesive manner. And then try to balance that with the limitations we have with funding and raising taxes.”
Also by a unanimous vote, the Board first approved Local Law # 1 of 2016, giving them permission to exceed the state tax cap of 0.6%.[/private]