Public hearing on budget set for April 14

By Russ Tarby

Contributing Writer

If the Liverpool Village Board of Trustees approves the proposed 2020-2021 village budget as it stands, taxes will remain flat for the ninth year in a row.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, the trustees will conduct a public hearing on the proposed $2,697,605 village budget. Last year’s budget total was $2,680,997.

Village Clerk Mary Ellen Sims presented the tentative budget to the village trustees at their March 16 meeting.

The proposal calls for spending $90,200 capital projects such as purchasing a new police cruiser for $35,000, a new DPW pickup truck for $40,000 and $13,200 for office equipment and upgrades. 

Because local property assessments have recently increased, so has the total amount of taxable values in the village. Last year taxes were levied on properties totaling $127,902,960 in value. This year that number is $131,431,763. When the tax rate is applied to that taxable value, the village would raise $1,636,325.

All properties in the village are also assessed a $130-per unit sewer rent charge.

“If approved as is, this budget would reduce the village’s fund balance by $105,046,” Sims said. “The projected fund balance at year’s end will be approximately $550,000. If approved, this budget would bring the fund balance to approximately $445,000 in the year 2021.”

The budget pays for village departments of public works, police, village court, clerks, codes enforcement and the operation of the Village Hall at 310 Sycamore St.

LPD stats for February

At the village trustees’ March 16 meeting, Liverpool Police Chief Donald Morris reported his department’s activity during the previous month via memo.

In February, LPD officers made 204 traffic stops and issued 166 citations for violations of the state’s vehicle and traffic laws and wrote 14 parking tickets. They also investigated five accidents. Officers responded to a total of 510 incidents and calls for service last month.