By Hayleigh Gowans
Staff Writer
Each year, villages in New York State must develop and adopt budget spending plans for the upcoming fiscal year in order to ensure they are able to provide residents with necessary services and amenities.
Recently, the village board of East Syracuse, Fayetteville, Manlius and Minoa adopted their final budgets for the 2016-17 fiscal year, which runs from June 1 to May 31. In order to give residents of each of the villages in the Eagle Bulletin coverage area, we have collected the most pertinent information to present to readers.
If you would like any more details about any of the adopted budgets, copies can be obtained from each village’s clerk-treasurer.
East Syracuse
After a dramatic decrease in tax rate last year, the village of East Syracuse will have a slight increase in tax rate, although total spending went down slightly. For 2016-17, the total budget amount is about $4.1 million, a slight decrease from last year’s $4.3 million total budget amount. The amount to be raised by taxes is $2.6 million, and only $55,000 is being used from the village’s fund balance.
The adopted tax rate is $13.85 per $1,000 assessed value, which is a 16 cent increase from the 2015-16 rate of $13.69 per $1,000 assessed value. In 2014-15, the tax rate was $16.20 per $1,000 assessed value and the drop in tax rate has been attributed to the abolishment of the East Syracuse Police Department starting Jan. 1, 2015.
The tax rate increase for 2016-17 is mostly due to a 28 percent increase in the sewer fund, $33,825 more than last year, because the village has been undertaking a sewer project, said Mayor Robert Tackman. Revenue for the budget was slightly down, from $1.6 million in 2015-16 to $1.4 million in 2016-17. The village board adopted the budget at a special meeting on April 18.
The East Syracuse clerk-treasurer can be reach at the village office, 204 N Center St., East Syracuse, or by calling 437-3541.
Fayetteville
Residents in Fayetteville can expect to be paying a tax rate of $6.70 per $1,000 assessed value in the upcoming year, which is the same tax rate the village has had for the past 12 years.
The total budget amount for 2016-17 was $5.9 million, compared to a total amount of $5.7 million in 2015-16. The amount to be raised by taxes is $2.0 million.
Total revenues for the upcoming budget is $5.7 million, and a total is $260,762 will be taken from the village’s fund balance.
About $15,000 was put in the budget to go toward the white-tailed deer management program, and there was a $5,000 increase to go toward performing arts events in the village, which include the Syracuse Symphony concert, jazz concert and the Fayetteville Festival, said Mayor Mark Olson. The village board adopted their budget at the April 25 meeting.
The Fayetteville clerk-treasurer can be reached at the village office, 425 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville, or by calling 637-9864.
Manlius
The village of Manlius has managed to keep their tax rate in 2016-17 the same as last year, and residents will pay a rate of $7.95 per $1,000 assessed value. There was about a 2 percent increase in the total budget amount, going from about $5.3 million in 2015-16 to about $5.5 million in the 2016-17 budget.
Total revenues were estimated to be about $5.2 million with a total amount to be raised by taxes at about $2.2 million. The village board adopted their budget at their April 26 meeting.
The Manlius clerk-treasurer can be reach at the Manlius Village Centre, 1 Arkie Albanese Avenue, Manlius, or by calling 682-9171.
Minoa
Residents in Minoa will pay the same tax rate as last year, $9.23 per $1000 assessed value. The total budget amount is about $3.6 million, with estimated revenue of about $1.7 million. The amount to be raised by taxes is about $1.5 million. The village board adopted the budget at the April 4 annual organizational meeting.
Mayor Bill Brazill said the village board hopes to encourage growth in Minoa, particularly at the Minoa Farms housing development, to be able to decrease the tax rate in future years.
The Minoa clerk-treasurer can be reached at the village office, 240 N. Main St., Minoa, or by calling 656-2203.
