Franklin County adopts budget, with no override

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December 2, 2011

DENISE A. RAYMO Press-Republican The Press Republican Fri Dec 02, 2011, 05:42 AM EST

MALONE — Franklin County adopted its 2012 budget Thursday and decided unanimously not to override the 2 percent state-mandated tax limit.

The override proposed by the County Legislature's Finance Committee was defeated before a series of amendments were made to bring the total budget to $114,674,101.

The amount to be raised by taxes is $14,597,013, an increase of 1.98 percent.

JOBS CUT

The amendments included finalization of 10 layoffs, 11 voluntary separations and a variety of adjustments, as well as fund-balance usage.

The equalization rates for municipalities were also adopted, with Franklin County passing its $114.6 million spending plan that includes an average tax rate of $4.06 per $1,000 of assessed-property value. The rates per $1,000 of property value are: Bangor, $4.06; Bellmont, $4.06; Bombay, $131.22; Brandon, $4.41; Brighton, $4.92; Burke, $6.12; Chateaugay, $4.10; Constable, $36.36; Dickinson, $4.11; Duane, $4.78; Fort Covington, $4.11; Franklin, $4.06; Harrietstown, $4.06; Malone, $4.83; Moira, $5.96; Santa Clara, $4.27; Tupper Lake, $4.07; Waverly, $4.12; and Westville, $5.10.

INCOME ADJUSTED

The adopted budget includes a revised estimate for sales tax in the coming year.

Legislators initially projected they would take in $20,300,000 in 2012 from purchases made within the county but increased it to $20,325,000 before adoption.

They also downgraded estimated income the county hopes to take in through a motor-vehicle-use tax.

Officials had hoped to bring in $300,000 a year, but that was lowered to $225,000 in the final budget.

The revenue is generated by applying a $10 fee every other year to register a passenger vehicle 3,500 pounds or less and $20 every other year for passenger vehicles 3,501 pounds and up and all commercial vehicles. Farm vehicles are exempt.

Legislators plan to take in $150,000 in revenue from the sale of a Route 11 parcel of land that failed to sell at the most recent county auction.

The land between to Mo's Pub and Grill and McDonald's Restaurant was once the Alaskan Oil convenience store. It was cleaned up using federal-stimulus money.

The property was initially priced at $200,000 and had no takers, but there is interest now that the price was lowered, according to County Treasurer Bryon Varin.

NO OVERRIDE

Following the meeting, Finance Committee Chairman Timothy Burpoe said the override decision was an issue legislators had to take up because they had held public hearings to get voter input on what they should do.

"We responded to those comments and didn't override the tax cap regardless that we were under the tax cap," he said. "We had to address this. We unanimously said no. And we listened to the public who made comments that they didn't want us to do it."

Email Denise A. Raymo at: draymo@pressrepublican.com