The village of Minoa Board has approved the 2015-16 budget, which will be increased for the first time since 2011.

The 2015-16 approved budget includes a 3.12 percent increase in the tax rate. This increase will reflect an additional tax of $28 per $100,000 home assessed value.

Minoa Mayor Richard Donovan explained these increases were a result of unfunded mandates from the state, increases in health insurance, loss of sale tax from Onondaga County and Governor Cuomo’s tax cap/tax freeze program.

“My board and my staff have done an incredible job in managing our expenses while maintaining and improving services. That being said, the board had to make some tough decisions in order to stay within the cap and to keep the tax rate increase to a reasonable amount,” said Donovan. “Those decisions in part were to freeze salaries at the current rate and defer large capital project purchases for the coming year. All departments continue to strive to find a better way to deliver our services. We continue to share services with our neighboring villages as well as the town of Manlius.”

This budget was passed at the April 20 meeting of the Minoa Village Board.

Hayleigh Gowans is a reporter for the Eagle Bulletin. She can be reached at [email protected].