New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced last month that municipalities must not raise property taxes by more than 0.73 percent next year, down from the 1.56 percent tax cap in 2015 and the 2 percent tax cap in 2014.

“It’s going to be a difficult year for municipalities,” Van Buren Supervisor Claude Sykes said at the Aug. 4 Van Buren Town Board meeting. “We’ve asked the departments to give us a bare-bones budget.”

While municipal budgets aren’t due until November, Sykes said Van Buren department heads are already working on their 2016 finances.

“Albany thinks we’re miracle workers to try to solve all the tax problems on the backs of local governments, where they already get the bang for their buck, ” Sykes said.

Councilor Pat Dickman also expressed frustration with the state-mandated tax cap. She said Van Buren has worked to consolidate costs in the past several years and no longer has much room for cuts.

Also on the agenda

In addition to the preliminary budget discussion, the board approved the following resolutions:

• Raises: The parks director and code enforcement officer positions will each receive a 2.5 percent pay increase. Sykes said these positions are no longer union positions, so the board felt it was “fair to give them the same raise other non-represented employees have.”
• Postage meter: While Councilor Rick Zaccaria is researching a more cost-effective option, the board voted to authorize Town Clerk Lynn Precourt to procure a new postage meter. Councilor Darcie Lesniak suggested the board approve the measure to renew the town’s lease with Ed and Ed Technology for a five-year period at a cost of $158.48 a month, and if Zaccaria can come up with a cheaper option, then the board can authorize Sykes to sign that agreement.
• Roof bids: The deadline for bids for the replacement of the town hall roof has been extended to 10 a.m. Aug. 28.