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Town passes budget with 15 percent tax increase
Highway super resigns for personal reasons; town realizes savings from the decision
By Jamie Larson
The Copake Town Board passed its 2010 town budget with an overall 15 percent tax increase Thursday after an often contentious process. Ten percent of the increase is a one time only tax to pay back a loan taken out to cover budgetary shortfalls in 2009.
The 15 percent tax increase includes the amount the town collects for special lighting and fire districts, which were reevaluated due to a nearly $300,000 drop in the total assessed value of the town.
Without the special districts taken into account to balance out the increase, there will actually be a 26 percent tax hike in Copake. The $100,000 debt service requires a 10 percent increase, and taxes towards the town’s general fund and highway department will go up 16 percent.
The official numbers were not available until Friday after the passage of the budget because all of the assessment numbers still needed to be tabulated by the town accountant. At the end of Thursday’s meeting it was believed, and stated by some on the board, that they had held the line on the budget. They thought then that the tax increase, minus the 10 percent one time tax, would stay flat, at around the same amount as the 3 percent tax hike the year before. That does not appear to be the case any longer.
Including the special districts, property taxes in the new budget increased from $3.51 to $4.06 per assessed $1,000 property value, a difference of 55 cents.
Over the past few months the board went line by line through the budget at numerous meetings, cutting funding from nearly every area, and asking departments to cut 10 percent from their budgets. The original tentative budget had a tax levy increase of 57 percent when first announced, causing anger and confusion in the small town.
Part of the savings the town was able to make came in dramatic fashion Thursday when Highway Superintendent Lawrence Proper resigned during the 6 p.m. budget meeting. He said that his leaving and the subsequent shifting of personnel at the department would save the town $50,000 in salary and benefits.
The stunned town board voted to deny Proper’s resignation, saying that he is the best man for the job and the move was too drastic. Proper said he was resigning for personal reasons and not just to save money. He said he felt he was doing it in the best interests of the town.
Proper recommended that Deputy Superintendent William Gregory be appointed to his position, and have the deputy job filled by part time employees to save additional funds. The total savings of $50,000 was Proper’s estimate. His department had already cut more than S35,000 from its budget before Thursday’s meeting.
“Larry always did things outside the scope of his duties because he loves this town,” Town Supervisor Reggie Crowley said Friday. “It takes a big man to give up your job for the good of your town.”
The board reluctantly accepted the resignation and praised Proper’s service. They then followed Proper’s advice and appointed Gregory.
Crowley said that while he’s glad the board was able to make effective cuts to the budget on the spending side he was less than pleased with some of the expected revenue lines. The board approved a number of increases on the revenue side of the budget to items like mortgage and sales tax. Crowley said he is not convinced the recession will allow the town to see that much income and he would have liked to be more conservative.
“I warned the board they were playing with fire,” the supervisor said. “Hopefully I’m wrong on this one.”
***
To reach reporter Jamie Larson call 518-828-1616, ext. 2269, or e-mail jlarson@registerstar.com.
The 15 percent tax increase includes the amount the town collects for special lighting and fire districts, which were reevaluated due to a nearly $300,000 drop in the total assessed value of the town.
Without the special districts taken into account to balance out the increase, there will actually be a 26 percent tax hike in Copake. The $100,000 debt service requires a 10 percent increase, and taxes towards the town’s general fund and highway department will go up 16 percent.
The official numbers were not available until Friday after the passage of the budget because all of the assessment numbers still needed to be tabulated by the town accountant. At the end of Thursday’s meeting it was believed, and stated by some on the board, that they had held the line on the budget. They thought then that the tax increase, minus the 10 percent one time tax, would stay flat, at around the same amount as the 3 percent tax hike the year before. That does not appear to be the case any longer.
Including the special districts, property taxes in the new budget increased from $3.51 to $4.06 per assessed $1,000 property value, a difference of 55 cents.
Over the past few months the board went line by line through the budget at numerous meetings, cutting funding from nearly every area, and asking departments to cut 10 percent from their budgets. The original tentative budget had a tax levy increase of 57 percent when first announced, causing anger and confusion in the small town.
Part of the savings the town was able to make came in dramatic fashion Thursday when Highway Superintendent Lawrence Proper resigned during the 6 p.m. budget meeting. He said that his leaving and the subsequent shifting of personnel at the department would save the town $50,000 in salary and benefits.
The stunned town board voted to deny Proper’s resignation, saying that he is the best man for the job and the move was too drastic. Proper said he was resigning for personal reasons and not just to save money. He said he felt he was doing it in the best interests of the town.
Proper recommended that Deputy Superintendent William Gregory be appointed to his position, and have the deputy job filled by part time employees to save additional funds. The total savings of $50,000 was Proper’s estimate. His department had already cut more than S35,000 from its budget before Thursday’s meeting.
“Larry always did things outside the scope of his duties because he loves this town,” Town Supervisor Reggie Crowley said Friday. “It takes a big man to give up your job for the good of your town.”
The board reluctantly accepted the resignation and praised Proper’s service. They then followed Proper’s advice and appointed Gregory.
Crowley said that while he’s glad the board was able to make effective cuts to the budget on the spending side he was less than pleased with some of the expected revenue lines. The board approved a number of increases on the revenue side of the budget to items like mortgage and sales tax. Crowley said he is not convinced the recession will allow the town to see that much income and he would have liked to be more conservative.
“I warned the board they were playing with fire,” the supervisor said. “Hopefully I’m wrong on this one.”
***
To reach reporter Jamie Larson call 518-828-1616, ext. 2269, or e-mail jlarson@registerstar.com.
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