A public hearing on a $12.4 million spending plan in the town of Manlius drew dialogue between residents and the board Wednesday night.
Total budget: $12,433,438
Tax rates per $1,000 assessed home value:
2007-4.29
2008-3.99
2009-4.25
2010-4.37
2011-4.50
2012 (proposed)-4.59
1.96 percent increase
Tax Levy — the amount of the budget funded by property taxes:
2011- $5,518,461
2012 – $5,802,909
4.9 percent increase
The proposed budget, which totals $12,433,438, carries a 1.9 percent tax rate increase, bringing the tax rate to $4.59 per $1,000 assessed home value. The board plans to vote on the budget at its 7 p.m. meeting this Wednesday, Nov. 16.
The tax levy, or the amount of the budget to be funded by property taxes, will see a 4.9 percent increase, bringing the levy to $5,802,909.
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s property tax legislation, signed in the spring, limits property tax increases to 2 percent. The definition of the tax cap, and the use of the legislation in the town, was a source of contempt at Wednesday’s public hearing. The town is working to get clarification on the tax cap, which would affect different districts within the town, but there were many questions left unanswered.
“It concerns me that you are presenting a budget where you don’t understand new state law,” said Manlius resident Tom Schepp. “We’re having a public hearing and we don’t have the answers to this very important question.”
Town Supervisor Ed Theobald said that he and the town board have been in communication with the state, requesting assistance as they report their final numbers
“We hope to get those questions answered this week,” he said. “It can be scary but I think we’ll handle this and take care of it as we need to.”
Town board members assured the dozen residents present that the intention is not to override Cuomo’s 2 percent tax cap, something that would require a referendum with 60 percent of voters agreeing to the override.
“Philosophically, I believe we would all rather see no tax increase across the board,” said John Loeffler, deputy supervisor. “Most of us are upset at a 2 percent increase, frankly.”
Amanda Seef is an editor/reporter at Eagle Newspapers. She can be reached at [email protected].