A $16.5 million spending plan for the town of DeWitt is expected to be voted on at the next regular board meeting.

The DeWitt Town Board plans to take the budget, which was placed in the ‘preliminary’ phase at a board meeting Oct. 24, to vote. The current proposal includes a less than 5-cent increase in the tax rate.

Supervisor Ed Michalenko says the tax rate and overall budget, which are still in active negotiations, are expected to increase only nominally over 2011.

“The biggest benefit of this budget is that we’re maintaining services,” Michalenko said. “We haven’t gotten to the point where we have to say we have to get rid of some services, we’ve been able to maintain them and not raise taxes.”

The town of DeWitt enacted numerous programs for savings in 2011, including taking advantage of New York State’s early retirement incentive plan. More than $300,000, net, will be saved by the 5 percent staff decrease.

A public hearing on the budget was held Monday, Oct. 24. Michalenko expects the seven person board to vote on the 2012 spending plan at the next board meeting, to be held at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 14.