Tax rates (subject to change)
Tax rates depend on both the budget and the assessed value of properties in the town. According to a tax table, total assessments have declined from $2,022,821,817 to $1,976,643,480, and the value of the average house has declined from $213,671 to $208,551.
Because of this drop, tax rates had to increase at a greater clip than the tax levy. The following tax rates apply to the budget as it stands now, without any of the cuts mentioned above: $6.40 per $1000 assessed value for town residents outside the village (an increase of 7.8 percent) and $4.38 per $1000 for village residents (an 11.1 percent increase).
The preliminary budget calls for $11,154,717 in spending, with an $8,906,217 tax levy. That’s an increase of $473,492 over this year’s total. The increase works out to 4.4 percent, down from more than five percent in the earlier preliminary budget.
Again, this is before any further cuts are decided upon.
Board discusses the cuts
Councilman Bruce Leighton questioned the savings that could be realized with a reduction in the police department staff, noting that this could lead to an increase in overtime and thus prove more expensive. The board agreed to hold off on this change until Costello has discussed it with Police Chief Joseph Sinagra.
“He (Sinagra) has said it’s our choice to budget, and he’ll live within it – but he will determine where he can diminish the service,” Costello said.
The board discussed cuts to the various nonprofit organizations to which the town contributes, such as the Boys & Girls Club and programs for the aging. Councilwoman Leeanne Thornton suggested cutting 10 percent from these organizations’ budgets, rather than the 20 percent Myers had suggested, while letting the organizations know they face a probable additional 10 percent reduction next year. This would give them time to adjust their fundraising and budgets.
One such organization, the Historical Society, could turn a profit in future years through the construction of an antique barn on its property, which could be rented out for special occasions. Thornton noted that state Senator John Bonacic had donated beams, siding and flooring from an old barn he had restored and has supported the restoration.
A suggestion that the town hire a part-time attorney for $60,000 per year for 29.5 hours per week, rather than employing attorneys at an hourly rate, raised some questions. The attorney would cover courts, municipal legal needs and planning and zoning. This could save $25,000 and have a lawyer on call when needed, Myers said. However, Costello said the current town attorneys are familiar with the town’s legal situations; Myers said they would be free to seek the job if they wanted it. The issue is money, not expertise, Myers said, noting the town could save $25,000 by making the change.
The same considerations would apply to the hiring of a grant writer, rather than having a person do the job on an hourly fee basis, Myers said. Costello said the same qualifications apply – some of the town’s grants have been obtained through organizations that have their own grant writers with specific expertise available. In particular, Costello cited several grants that had been written by police department personnel. Myers acknowledged that Parks and Buildings Supervisor Greg Chorvas has also been successful in obtaining grants. Hiring a grant writer could save $7,000, Myers estimated. The board agreed, with Costello opposed, to creating the position.
The cost of overtime for court workers could be reduced by $20,000 a year by opening the office at 9 a.m. rather than 8 a.m. as it is now, Myers said. A smaller savings – $8,000 – could be realized by hiring a part-time person in the court.
The board agreed to meet at 4 p.m. Tuesday, November 13 to discuss the proposals made at the meeting they had just concluded, as well as any others that the public might bring up at the public hearing. About $225,000 in additional cuts will be needed to bring the budget down to the two percent cap. “I think that it’s possible to get below the cap,” said Myers.
The board has set a meeting at 5 p.m. Friday November 19 to vote on the budget.
Please do not cut any Police Department postions, as the life they save maybe yours !!
I agree. Taxes are for funding public safety and the cost of administration. Cuts to public safety cannot be allowed especialy when the number of families and businesses moving in to Saugerties is increasing.
Cut! Cut! Cut! When was the last time a Police officer in Saugerties “saved a life”? With new surveillance cameras in the village do we really also need and officer walking the beat chatting with the local shop keepers. Frankly, they police spend a lot of time stopping people for traffic/speeding violations and there are permanent solutions to slowing traffic speeds and they don’t require salaries or benefits. Think outside the box!!!! When there is a marked increase in business and new homes paying taxes we can always add an officer back the force. Why is the transfer permit so cheap it should be $120 ($10 per month), that’s 1/3 of what I pay for private carting. If its save even $1,000 let Myers have her salary but she can NEVER be eligible for Town benefits again! The political risk is hers to bear.
It is shameful how little Saugerties residents get for their tax dollars. With one of the highest residential tax rates in the region, our leaders make deals to cut taxes by 50% for the private owner of the senior housing complex, yet our police department has to resort to “fundraising” from the community to afford a new police dog (both detailed in prior issues of this paper). Now our leaders are discussing closing the transfer station? Shame on them. It should not matter if the transfer station is profitable – it is a SERVICE to the community, one that we pay for in our taxes, just like schools and the police department. And remember, it’s not free to bring trash with a permit – the permit only allows you the privilege of paying per bag to bring your trash. And now the town is considering saying “thank you for the tax dollars, but you’re on your own with your trash.” The problem is only going to get worse, with tax rates so high that people are being pushed out of Saugerties to more affordable jurisdictions, and those who stay getting basically nothing for their tax dollars.
Of all the agencies and departments in town, which ones actually pay for themselves?
While the transfer station is being held to that standard, one must ask:
– Does the highway department pay for itself? Where are the tolls?
– Do the police collect enough fines to pay for itself? Does URGENT?
– Does the Supervisor’s office pay it’s way?
– Does the library pay for itself?
– Do the fire districts pay their own way?
– Does the town clerk’s office pay it’s way?
Obviously, when considering dollar-for-dollar pay-your way, the answer to these questions is a loud, “No.” These are agencies and offices that provide necessary services.
Perhaps the question of closing the transfer station station is more complex than a simple $100,000 shortfall. When held to the same standards as the above agencies and offices, the transfer station can be seen in a better light.
To the users of private carters, one must ask questions like how much do they charge to cart away your old couch? Tires? How about that tree that come down during Irene or Lee last year? Old computers? Junk mail? The list can go on and on….
I might remind those of that mind set, your private carter has little competition to keep rates low, other than the low rates from carting your own to the transfer station. No competion? Just look at Time-Warner and their billing.
A $100,000 gap isn’t fun to deal with, but there are many other agencies and departments in town that have a much larger gap.
There’re about 20,000 town residents. $5.00 per year, per person. If your carting company has no competition, you may very well see a $5.00 per month increase: you do the math.
The town elected our supervisor and board to solve problems, not create them: too much time has been spent on department head salary issues, you knew the salaries and benefits when you ran for office.
It’s now time to be creative, reflect on solutions (and potential outcomes), and resolve issues.
Or step aside.
I OFTEN WONDER WHY IS BEING A TOWN POLITICIAN A PAID SERVICE ? ( HOW MANY WOULD RUN IF IT WAS JUST FOR THE PEOPLE AND NO MONEY INVOLVED )MAYBE THEY SHOULD GET HEALTH BENIFITS ONLY . IM SORRY BUT I DO NOT FEEL IT IS A 50,000 A YEAR JOB.GIVE HER BENIFITS BUT REDUCE THE PAY . WE HAVE PEOPLE IN OUR TOWN LIVING ON LESS THE 20,000. . LETS HELP THEM AND NOTGIVE OURSELVES RAISES . LIKEVERYONE ELSE GRAB YOUR BOOT STRAPS AN LIVE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE.