The village of Liverpool Board of Trustees voted unanimously Monday April 25, to approve its 2011-12 budget, a spending plan that will necessitate a 22 percent rise in village property taxes.
“We really scratched around to come up with the best budget we thought we could live with,” said Mayor Gary White, who noted that village departments each submitted budgets equal or lower than last year’s.
White blamed the tax increase on Onondaga County, which cut villages out of its annual sales tax revenue-sharing program last year.
“Because Onondaga County took half of the village sales tax money,” White said at an April 11 public hearing, “our budget is short on revenues by $285,000.”
The 2011-12 budget calls for $2,223,428 in general fund spending as compared to $2,194,143 for 2010-11.
The new budget will cover purchases of a police vehicle, truck and snow-blower for a total of $64,500, said Village Clerk Mary Ellen Sims. If those purchases were not necessary, she said, “the actual spending for 2011-12 would be about $35,000 less than this year.”
Last year the village property tax rate was $9.76 per $1,000 of assessed value, but this year it’ll be $12.40 per thousand. Last year, the owner of a home assessed at $100,000 paid $976 in village taxes. In 2011, that same property owner will pay $1,191-an increase of $235.
All properties in the village must also pay a $150-per unit sewer rent charge.
Meanwhile, the county tax rate for village property owners will decrease by $1.32 per thousand, due to the sales-tax distribution decision. So, for $100,000 homeowners, village tax bills “will be offset somewhat by the $132 decrease in the county tax rate,” the mayor said.
Last year, the village collected $1,184,717 in property taxes. The balance of its budget comes from sources such as court fines, fees, Gleason Mansion rental income, interest income and the county’s new Village Infrastructure Program which was established in lieu of sales-tax revenue sharing.
On Monday, Trustee Nick Kochan again cited the county’s decision to rescind the village’s share of sale tax revenues as the cause of Liverpool’s tax increase.
Onondaga County Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Travis Glazier appeared at Monday’s meeting to dispute recent media characterizations of the county’s financial status.
“Are you going to ask them for a retraction?” asked Trustee James Rosier.
“I’m not the press guy,” Glazier responded.
Village of Liverpool-Resolution to adopt budget 2011-2012
“Whereas, the Board of Trustees did receive on March 18, 2011, a tentative General Budget, Sewer Fund Budget, Community Development Budget and a Capital Projects Budget for the 2011-12 Village fiscal year and be and thereby
“Whereas, a public hearing on such budget was held on April 11, 2011 now, thereby, be it resolved, that the General Fund Budget in the amount of $2,223,428.36; Community Development Budget in the amount of $57,000 and Sewer Fund Budget in the amount of $217,362 for a total budget of $2,497,790.36 for the Village Fiscal year 2011-12 be and herby is adopted setting a tax rate of $12.40 per thousand of assessed valuation and setting sewer rates at $150 per unit and that the tax rate of $12.40 per thousand depicts a net increase of $1.32 per thousand, based on the fact that Onondaga County did reduce the village revenue for sales tax from $570,000 per year to $281,200 per year.”
