By Doug La Rocque
All area towns are in the process of scheduling public hearings on their preliminary town budgets for 2020 (town fiscal years coincide with the calendar year), after which they can make final changes or approve the preliminary budget as it stands. Unlike the Federal Government’s budget, all local budgets must also be balanced (expenditures must equal anticipated revenues). Here is a quick rundown of how these budgets stand:
In Berlin, the budget calls for a tax hike of $1.47 per thousand of assessed valuation. Supervisor Rob Jaeger says the majority of the increase is to provide the residents of the town with Emergency Medical Services. The Town is working with Grafton to transfer the Fire Department’s Certificate of Need to the Grafton Rescue Squad, which in turn is looking to create a 6 am to 6 pm Monday through Friday paid ambulance service, that would also encompass the Town of Petersburgh. Supervisor Jaeger said they are looking as well to be able to pay area EMTs and Paramedics to respond to calls in the off hours. There is a paramedic who lives in Berlin, and is willing to help, but is employed by the Troy Fire Department. Under its union regulations, members can only respond to calls outside of the city, if paid. They are not allowed to volunteer.
The increase puts Berlin over the state tax cap, so they will have to pass a local law to exceed it. A public hearing on that law, and the budget, will be held at the November 14 meeting.
In Hoosick, the $3.49 million spending plan calls for a tax hike of about 2%, which is just under the town’s tax cap limit, as computed under New York State’s complicated tax capformula. The Town will hold a public hearing on the budget on Thursday, November 7 at 6 pm.
Public input into the budget process seems to have been at its highest in the Town of Grafton, where the tentative budget had to be cut by more than $50,000 to match revenues. A budget line that provoked the most discussion was a $6,000 pay increase for the incoming Highway Superintendent. Further discussion centered on a proposal to cut the monies earmarked for the Senior and Youth programs. Those cuts were abandoned, and the funding for those programs remains at or near last year’s levels.
A quick look at the budget proposal showed one section completely disappearing in the preliminary budget, that dealing with roughly $32,000 that was included to make the final loan payments of the Everett Wagar Senior Center. Town Supervisor Ingrid Gundrum said to help balance the budget for next year, they decided to use money from the this year’s fund balance to pay the loan off early from the 2019 budget. Other additional cuts, and using another $15,000 from the fund balance, helped bring the spending plan in line, and calls for a tax hike that is just under the state tax cap. A budget hearing is set for Saturday, November 2 at 9 am.
In Petersburgh, the amount to be raised by taxes increases by $12,263 or 1.7 percent, just under the Town’s state tax cap limit.
It’s status quo in Brunswick, where Supervisor Phil Herrington says once again, there will be no increase in the tax rate in 2020. This marks the third year in a row taxes have not increased and the 21st time in 26 years that there has been no change in the rate. A public hearing on the budget will take place on Thursday, November 7 at 6 pm.
In New Lebanon, consistency is also the name of the game. Interim Town Supervisor Meg Robertson’s preliminary 2020 budget holding the line on taxes, keeping the rate the same as this year’s. The public hearing is scheduled for Thursday, November 7 at 6:15 pm