BATH – Steuben County property owners will see a slight increase in county taxes next year, if the county’s 2015 budget is approved by the county Legislature Nov. 24. The county Legislature’s Finance Committee approved Wednesday a preliminary 2015 budget of $175 million, with an 1.7 percent increase in the tax levy. Under the proposed spending plan, the tax levy will increase to $49.5 million, up $800,000 from the current tax levy of $48.7 million. The proposed levy is well under the state state’s mandated tax cap of 2 percent. County Manager Mark Alger said the average tax rate will drop about $0.22 next year. The current tax rate is $8.93. However, due to wide differences in municipalities’ equalization rates, tax rates in 2015 will vary between each town. The committee met in October to review next year’s budget, but waited for final adjustments and third quarter sales tax revenues, before approving the tentative 2015 budget. Although sales tax revenues during the last quarter were higher than previous quarters, Alger – who also is the county Budget Officer – recommended anticipated sales tax revenues remain flat. The proposed budget includes $1 million in cuts to departmental spending in 2015, and a staffing reduction of roughly 120 county employees. The staff cuts are due the sale of the county health care facility in June. The sale of the county health care facility last summer means the draft 2015 budget weighs in about $10 million less than the current budget of $187 million. However, the sale does not affect next year’s tax levy, since health care facility primary costs were paid for through Steuben’s fund balance every year and were not added to the tax rolls, Alger said. Anticipated public safety expenses in 2015 are up, with the county sheriff, jail, 911 and probation departments totaling roughly $620,000 in increased spending. County Public Works spending next year will increase by approximately $219,000, according to draft figures. “I think it’s a good budget,” said committee Chairman Legislator Lawrence Crossett, R-Bath. The proposed budget will be presented to the county Legislature in special session at 10 a.m. Nov. 13. A public hearing on the budget is slated for 6 p.m. Nov. 24, immediately followed that evening by a final vote on the budget by the county Legislature.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Nov 2014 19:16:37 +0000
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