Numerous residents expressed their concerns on Cicero’s preliminary 2015 budget at a hearing held Oct. 22.

Under this version of the budget, taxpayers can expect a 16.53 cent per thousand increase on their tax bill. That brings the rate to about $3.74 per $1,000 of assessed value. A homeowner whose house is assessed at $100,000 would pay $373.58. The same homeowner presently pays $357.05 on the current rate of about $3.57 per thousand.

The town board decided to table a vote regarding a local law that would allow the town to exceed New York state’s 2 percent tax increase cap. Town Supervisor Jessica Zambrano said the board wanted to continue fine-tuning the budget before making a decision on the tax cap law.

Councilor Mike Becallo opposed exceeding the tax cap and also the board’s proposed special meeting at 9 a.m. Nov. 3 to approve the budget.

“We have a month,” he said of the budget deadline of Nov. 20.

Resident Joe Licata also spoke out against exceeding the tax cap.

“I applaud the state government for putting the tax cap in place,” Licata said. “It doesn’t always have to be the people that sacrifice. Governments have to, too.”

Licata asked the board whether the town could make staff cuts.

Councilor Mark Venesky said the town has many contracts that do not allow the town to eliminate or add certain positions.

“We can’t control some of these costs,” Venesky said, citing factors such as health insurance, retirement costs and worker’s compensation.

Licata said the people of Cicero should have a bigger say in the creation of the budget and suggested that the town hold a referendum. Venesky pointed out that there have been two public hearings on the subject, but there is no time for such a referendum this year.

Lori Sager suggested the town eliminate tax exempt zones for certain “big box” businesses and decrease the overall cost of doing business.

Zambrano said the town does not set the tax rates for big box retailers, but that the stores are on a schedule to increase the taxes they pay each year until they reach the same rate as other local businesses, which will be in about two years.

Sager said the town should band together with other local municipalities and demand that Onondaga County return the towns’ share of sales tax collected. In 2010, the county gradually began eliminating municipal shares of sales tax revenue.

“You tell those pipsqueaks up there … we want our money,” Sager said. “Untie your hands and start fighting for us. … There’s 40 percent of the budget you do have control over.”

Gus Macker tourney raises $27K for CanTeen

Vinny Hollopeter, president of the Friends of the CanTeen, presented on the results of the 2014 Gus Macker Basketball Tournament, which was held Aug. 8 through 10 at Driver’s Village. The event raised $26,638 for the Friends group, the independent nonprofit charged with funding the Cicero afterschool center with $40,000 a year.

Hollopeter said 178 teams totaling 712 athletes participated. Thirty-six percent of the athletes were not from the immediate local area.

Nearly 150 volunteers contributed a combined 1,495 hours to the event. Councilor Mark Venesky noted that many of these volunteers benefit directly from the CanTeen.

“A lot of kids from the CanTeen volunteered, so it’s not a free ride for them,” Venesky said.

“We get a lot of kids after they’ve graduated out of it — they come back and work for it,” Hollopeter said.

Hollopeter credited Cicero Parks and Recreation Director Jody Rogers and her staff for the success of the event.

“They’re the nuts and bolts that hold it together,” he said.

The date for next year’s Gus Macker tournament has been set for Aug. 8 and 9. Hollopeter said the Friends of the CanTeen has already held its first organizational meeting for the 2015 tournament.