Elizabethtown tax levy up 6 percent

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November 16, 2009

By ALVIN REINER The Press Republican Mon Nov 16, 2009, 11:50 AM EST

ELIZABETHTOWN — Residents can expect a tax-levy increase of about 6 percent, if the proposed budget for 2010 is approved.

The spending plan totals $1,455,809, and the levy, which is the amount of the budget to be raised by taxes, is $872,632, up $65,004 over the current year.

Property owners can expect a tax rate of $5.66 per $1,000 of assessed property value, up 3.71 percent over this year’s $5.46.

The total assessed value for the town is $207,661,532, which is up slightly over the current $206,687,192.

The tax-exempt land amounts to $54,400,428.

Several major areas account for the increase in the budget, including a New York State Retirement Fund cost that’s up 25 percent, from $34,900 to $43,500, and health insurance that will rise 14.5 percent, an increase of $15,000.

Those two costs equal one-third of the total tax-levy hike.

The only anticipated purchase in the budget is for a new sidewalk plow, which will be bought under a state contract for $24,600, with the debt to be spread over a five-year period.

Elected officials will not get raises, but town employees can expect a 3-percent increase.

“With respect to this projected increase in health-insurance contributions, this will amount to about a break-even economic picture for our employees, and I respectfully thank them for the service they provide our taxpayers,” Elizabethtown Supervisor Noel Merrihew said.

The two water districts will not see a rate increase.

A sidewalk tax-rate increase of 15 cents per $1,000 of property value reflects a new sidewalk-plow purchase.

A homeowner would pay roughly $566 in taxes next year on a home assessed at $100,000.

“The Elizabethtown town board has worked hard on this difficult budget,” Merrihew said. “Uncontrollable increases in retirement and health-insurance costs challenge boards each year.

“We have continued our funding levels for our support services, such as the emergency squad, library, Youth Commission, animal shelter and our programs for the aging.

“The board will determine how much our final allocation of fund balance toward the necessary tax levy will be. They have requested a maximum increase not to exceed 5 percent.”

The Town Council expects to vote on the budget Tuesday at the Elizabethtown Town Hall. A meeting on the proposed sewer system will start at 6 p.m., with the regular meeting to follow.

E-mail Alvin Reiner at:

rondackrambler@yahoo.com