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Tupper Lake town budget under tax cap

Does not include more money for police the village had requested

TUPPER LAKE — The town board passed a $2.8 million budget earlier this month that projects a $79,247 spending increase next year, carries a slight tax increase but stays under the state tax cap.

The town tax levy — the amount to be raised by taxes — is $1,976,980 in next year’s budget. This is an increase of $31,546, or 1.62%, from this year. Town Supervisor Patti Littlefield said the state-imposed tax cap was set at 2% this year.

The town tax rate will be $4.20 per $1,000 of assessed value, up from $4.15 this year.

The village tax rate will be $2.86 per $1,000 of assessed value, the same as this year. That means someone with a home assessed at $200,000 outside the village will pay $840 in taxes next year, $10.20 more than this year. Someone with a home assessed at $200,000 in the village would pay $571.80 in town taxes next year, down $51.80 from this year.

The 2022 budget projects an increase in spending of $79,247, or 2.94%.

The budget includes 3% salary increases for all town employees, which was negotiated by their labor union. Littlefield said these raises do not apply to town board members as they are not union members. She said she can’t recall the last time the board gave itself a raise.

Town Attorney Kirk Gagnier asked for a $100 per month pay increase. Littlefield said this is not in the budget.

The town’s 2022 budget does not include a $21,000 increase toward the town’s contributions to the village police department budget, as the village had requested.

Though spending is up, the tax rate is only slightly higher because the assessed value of properties in both the village and town have increased — there were a lot of property transfers and construction this year, according to Littlefield.

Taxable property within the town was assessed at $471 million this year, up $1.8 million from last year. Around $1.7 million of that increased value was in town property outside of the village. Around $53,000 of the increased value was in village property.

Though much of next year’s budget will be funded by taxes, the rest of the budget will be funded by $599,537 in revenue expected to come in, from things like user fees. The town also plans to use $200,000 from its reserves.

Revenues are expected to increase next year — from $541,837 this year to $599,537 next year. Littlefield said the main reason for the increase is likely due to several large property sales — namely, a property on Maddox Lane the town sold for $70,000.

No increase for police

The town board unanimously turned down a request from the village to nearly double its contribution to the village police department.

Town board members said they do not want police services outside of emergencies.

Village Mayor Paul Maroun said he was “disappointed” by the town board’s decision. He said he believes it leaves a heavier tax burden on village taxpayers and felt the town could contribute more.

The town contributes $29,000; the village’s request would’ve nearly doubled that contribution.

The village requested that the town pay for 5% of the department’s budget. Maroun says 5% of the police calls are in the town, outside the village.

Board members said that the town does not ask for village police patrols and that the village-town police contract was never for police protection. Maroun and Littlefield both said the contract started years ago because the village needed the legal right to enter the town, but they disagree on how much money that contract should be for now.

“Our board didn’t want to make it a percentage of the budget because that would continue year after year,” Littlefield said. “That’s not what it was for.”

The town approved a $4,000 increase last year — from $25,000 to $29,000.

Littlefield pointed out that other towns, like Malone and Harrietstown, do not pay into their village police departments.

Maroun said this is a public safety issue which the town should fund. He said the police carry NARCAN and defibrillators, and can mobilize faster than New York State Police sometimes.

“Somebody’s life is a lot more important than a lot of things the town is doing,” he said.

But it’s also a financial issue.

This means the village taxpayers pay for more of the police budget, Maroun said.

He said the money was available in the budget, and felt the town should contribute more to the department, feeling that the council isn’t taking town residents living in the village into consideration.

Maroun said he hopes the new town board members elected on Nov. 2 — Clint Hollingsworth, a village trustee who ran for supervisor and Rick Donah, a village resident and former village board member who won election to the council — will reconsider increasing this contribution in the future, maybe before the budget next year.

He said there’s money in the town general fund to fund this.

Maroun said he had requested to sit in on a budget hearing but never received a response.

Other budget issues

The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism asked the town for a $11,000 increase in funding next year — double what it was getting. Littlefield said there’s money in the budget for this, but the town is not giving it to ROOST yet. She said the transfer of money is “pending.”

The cross-country ski trail budget was reduced by $5,000 because it had money left over from last year, she said.

Littlefield said the budget process was “smooth” this year, since the town did not need to purchase any new equipment. But there was a $14,000 increase in the highway department budget since the town decided to lease a screener machine for the town sand pit instead or buying a new one.

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