Medina Journal-Register — YATES — The Yates Town Board is set to pass the town’s $1.68 million budget Thursday after the spending plan was greeted with little interest at a public hearing Monday.
Town tax rates for property owners in the Village of Lyndonville will increase by $0.02 to $2.40 per $1,000 in assessed property value. For properties outside of the town, the rate will be $4.93, up from $4.875 last year. That includes a $0.61 fire district tax rate.
Town Supervisor John Belson said that a budget increase of slightly less than $39,000 was due to the typical municipal cost drivers — retirement contributions, workman’s compensation payments and increased fuel costs. Health insurance rates are expected to increase, but not at the 19 percent increase that the town had braced for in it’s initial expectations.
“It was nothing unexpected,” Belson said after a five-minute public hearing that preceded a slightly longer but informal discussion of the next day’s election. “It’s like everyday life — our expenses go up.”
Belson said that no major purchases have been budgeted for 2013. Areas of savings mostly limited to small projects like updating the lighting system at the town hall.
“We’re doing the minimal things to keep it in line,” Belson said.
The budget will be taken up at the board’s Nov. 8 regular meeting. The town has already passed a resolution to override the state’s tax cap for the 2013 budget year, which Belson said was a precautionary measure.
Belson noted that the town is submitting a tax levy to the state that is at least $16,000 below the threshold triggering either a mandatory override vote or face penalties from Albany.
“It’s no clearer this year,” Belson said. “We (overrode) because we don’t know where the state stands.”
The salaries for board members are kept level in the spending plan, with town employees receiving compensation increases only in cases where they were previously agreed to in contract negotiations. The town’s staffing levels are stable, with no firings or hirings.
Contact reporter Jim Krencik at 798-1400, ext. 6327.
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