By Rikki Cason<br><a href="mailto:rikki.cason@journal-register.com">E-mail Rikki</a>
The Orleans County Legislature adopted a $70.7 million 2009 budget Wednesday, with a tax levy of $13.8 million. The tax rate will be the same as in 2008 — $9.16 per $1,000 of assessed value.
Chairman Henry Smith Jr. thanked department heads, legislators, the treasurer’s office and everyone involved for their work with this year’s budget.
“I think you all did a tremendous job,” Smith said. “Without you, we would have never gotten to where we are today.”
The budget passed by five votes. Legislator William Eick was not in attendance and Legislator Gary Kent abstained.
“The entire Legislature spends a lot of time on the budget,” Kent said. “Hour after hour, day after day. I think that might be misunderstood by some of the people in the community. I think generally speaking, we did a really fine job on the budget. I think it could have been a little bit better.”
Kent also said that part of the county’s taxes go to the villages and towns around Orleans County. He said legislators could have lowered the tax rate by 91 cents per $1,000 if they didn’t give to the local municipalities.
The total spending for 2009 is projected to be $70,655,343, with total revenues projected at $55,730,711. After cash surplus deductions, there was a $76,691 tax levy increase from the 2008 fiscal year.
In other board news:
n The board passed a new policy for the submission of assigned counsel claims for payment. This was an issue the board was facing, with attorneys not turning in their claims in what the Legislature considered a timely manner.
The new policy states that for compensation, counsel should submit to a magistrate, judge or justice as soon as possible, but no later than 90 days from the conclusion of representation on a case.
“The assigned counsel claims have been coming in quite late,” Legislator Lynne Johnson said. “It’s caused quite a headache for our treasurer.”
Legislator Kenneth Rush said that after auditing the bills, this new policy was needed because many assigned counsel were still turning in claims dating back to June 2006.
The Legislature will be notifying the Orleans County Bar Association, as well as other organizations, of the new policy.
