Lysander officials have approved the 2012 town budget, which reduces spending by one percent.
The $4,715,040 budget represents a decrease of $923,366 compared to 2011. The proposed tax levy, the amount to be raised by property taxes, is $1,914,128.
The 2012 tax rate for residents within the village will be .6187 or 62 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, which is the same as last year; residents outside the village will see an increase from 1.323 (2011) to 1.338 (proposed 2012) or $1.338 per $1,000, which is a 1.1 percent increase over last year’s budget. This equates to a $1.50 increase in taxes for a property assessed at $100,000 outside the village.
A public hearing regarding the budget was held Thursday, Nov. 10. Residents raised a few questions for clarification purposes, but no one spoke out against the budget.
Major factors affecting the 2012 budget include: a 16 percent average increase in New York state retirement costs (budgeted $209,403 with increase); employee benefit costs (budgeted $443,549 total for current employees and retirees); and road construction projects ($363,350), road maintenance ($175,000), road salt ($176,000) and equipment purchases ($140,000) including a replacement pay loader. The budget includes no increase in pay rates for employees or elected officials.
Lysander’s taxable assessed value is $1,553,908,540, which is an increase of $87,038,001 (InBev accounts for $75,000,000 of increase). To review the entire budget, visit townoflysander.org.
