By Russ Tarby
Contributing Writer
With a 2-1 vote at its Feb. 16 meeting, the Village of Liverpool Board of Trustees rejected a motion to set a public hearing to consider establishment of Local Law A-2017, “overriding tax levy limit.”
The tax cap imposed by New York state limits a local government’s overall property tax levy growth to two percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. This year the figure is 1.15 percent, according to Liverpool Deputy Mayor Dennis Hebert, who chaired the Feb. 16 meeting while Mayor Gary White vacationed in Florida.
For local governments, the limit remains in place unless the local governing body, by 60 percent, enacts a local law that allows for an increase over the tax cap. The community may participate in the process because the local law is subject to a public hearing. For school districts, the limit stays in place unless 60 percent of the voters approve additional spending over the cap.
In 2016, Trustee Christina Fadden Fitch refused to go along with tax cap override because, she said, the move necessitated further study including projected financial figures. This year, she was joined by first-term Trustee Bradly Young in opposing the override public hearing. Trustee Matt Devendorf, another first-termer, voted in favor of the public hearing, but after the two nay votes were announced, Hebert declined to cast a vote.
Prior to this year, the Liverpool trustees routinely passed the override for several years, as do many municipalities across the state even though they rarely exceeded the cap.
Hebert urged the trustees to call the public hearing this year, arguing that, “If we accidentally do something incorrectly, we could be fined.” He characterized the override as an insurance policy.
“It does not lock us into anything,” Hebert said, “but it could cost us something not to do it.”
Fadden Fitch maintained that there are costs involved in publicizing a public hearing and more costs if trustees must eventually repeal an override.
“But we haven’t needed it in the past,” she said. “I’d prefer to consider it closer to budget time.” This year‘s village budget is due on May 1.
“So we have a narrow window,” Hebert warned.
The village’s fiscal year runs from Aug. 1 through July 31, annually. The 2017-18 budget is now being formulated, said Village Clerk Mary Ellen Sims.
Last year, a budget of $2,541,406 was supported by taxes totaling $1,552, 519. The levy was set at $12.45 per $1,000 of a property’s assessed value. For example, a home assessed at $100,000 will receive a village tax bill of $1,245, plus each property must pay a $130 annual sewer-fund assessment.
L’pool resident Kevin Greenwood joins LPD
Full-time Liverpool Police Officer Paul Flickner has accepted a position with the Auburn Police Department, so to fill the vacancy here, Chief Don Morris recommended the “conditional” hiring of Liverpool resident Kevin Greenwood.
At its Feb. 16 meeting the village board unanimously approved the hiring. Greenwood, 31, lives on Second Street with his family.
LPD Sgt. Jerry Unger appeared at the trustees meeting to provide background information on the officer candidate. Greenwood is an experienced policeman, Unger said, having worked with village departments in Pulaski and Central Square.
January police stats
Reading from a memo from Liverpool Police Chief Don Morris, Devendorf informed the village board that officers issued 221 citations for violations of the state’s vehicle and traffic laws in January after making a total of 309 traffic stops.
Three arrests were made for driving while intoxicated and eight traffic accidents were investigated. Fifteen parking tickets were issued last month.
Officers conducted 220 residential checks and responded to a total of 600 complaints and calls for service in the first month of the year.
The LPD arrested 34 individuals in January on a total of 34 criminal charges.
