As Warren County faces budget woes, some of its towns have managed to absorb the effects of a recession with only slight changes in next year's tax rate.
Taxes will increase in Lake George, Bolton and Chester. They will decrease in Johnsburg, Stony Creek, Thurman and Warrensburg. Residents in Lake Luzerne, Horicon and Hague will see no change at all.
Lake George Supervisor Louis Tessier said he was not sure by how much taxes would increase in the town, but he estimated between 16 and 18 cents for every $1,000 of assessed valuation, which would equate to a percent change of 8.69 to 9.78.
Tessier said the slump in sales tax revenue accounts for the change.
"Revenue is down. The state isn't paying their bills," he said.
But Tessier said the town's tax rate of $1.84 for every $1,000 of assessed valuation was low to begin with.
"It's pennies," Tessier said about the increase. "It's not much."
Chester faces a similar situation.
The tax increase amounts to 13 percent, or 14 cents for every $1,000 of assessed value. But Town Supervisor Fred Monroe also said this year's rate was low to start with at $1.06 for every $1,000 of assessed value.
"It's a big percentage, only because the rate is so low," Monroe said.
The increase will make up for increases in contributions to the New York state retirement system and health insurance. Monroe said he is negotiating with unions to lower health insurance costs.
In Bolton, Supervisor Kathleen Simmes said a 2.5 percent increase in the tax rate is due to taking on expenses the county passed on, such as those for environmental center Up Yonda Farm. Increases in health insurance costs and lower revenues account for other extra expenses.
Lake Luzerne residents won't see any changes in their tax rate, Town Supervisor Eugene Merlino said, since fund balance money was used to make up for losses in sales tax revenue.
"I give all the credit to the employees of Lake Luzerne," Merlino said.
The highway and parks departments saved money and watched overtime, he said.
"We were able to put money aside for a new truck we ordered," Merlino said of a new highway truck.
Horicon and Hague are also slated to have no changes in their tax rates.
Thurman residents will see a decrease of 28 percent in their tax rate, as Supervisor Lawrence "Red" Pitkin said the town makes up for questionable accounting practices from the past.
"In the past, a lot of money had been accumulated here," he said.
The spare cash won't be used carelessly, he said.
"We're going to watch our costs," Pitkin said. "I don't look at it as money to spare."
Warrensburg residents will also see a decrease, though it won't be so drastic. Supervisor Kevin Geraghty said residents can expect to see a 5 percent drop in the tax rate.
"We shaved a little here and a little there," he said. "We'll hold the line on our expenses."
Stony Creek residents will see a 0.5 percent reduction in their tax rate.
In Johnsburg, the rate will drop slightly, Supervisor Sterling Goodspeed said, at 0.01 percent.
Goodspeed said officials have been working to cut the budget for a number of years, shifting engineering and legal costs to developers, using their attorney only when absolutely necessary and shopping around for insurance for retiring employees.
"We stood the budget up on its head," Goodspeed said, adding that curbside recycling will be eliminated because the town can't afford it.
Goodspeed echoed the sentiment of many this season when it comes to controlling government spending.
"We've got to control taxes," he said. "I take that home to the town."
Posted in Local on Sunday, November 8, 2009 6:10 pm | Tags: Taxes, Warren County
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