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 boards of East Syracuse, Fayetteville, Manlius and Minoa adopted their final budgets for the 2017-18 fiscal year, which runs from June 1 to May 31. Below readers can find the most pertinent information of each of the village budgets. Complete copies of each of the adopted budgets can be obtained from each village’s clerk-treasurer.
East Syracuse
For the upcoming fiscal year, residents in East Syracuse can expect to have a lowered tax rate. This year’s adopted budget reflects a total tax rate of $13.14 per $1,000 assessed value, which is a 70-cent decrease from the 2016-17 rate of $13.84 per $1,000 assessed value.
The total budget amount is about 4.6 million, a slight increase from last year’s $4.1 million. The amount to be raised by taxes is $2.5 million, and no money will be used from the village’s fund balance.
Revenues for the village were up, with about $2.0 million projected in 2017-18 compared to the $1.4 million in 2016-17. The New York state property tax levy limit was $2.6 million, and the village exceeded the limit by about $28,250 but earlier this year they adopted a local law allowing the village to override the tax cap.
This year’s tax rate is a dramatic decrease from the rate of just a few years ago, as the 2014-15 tax rate was $16.20 per $1,000 assessed value. Some of that drop in tax rate has been attributed to the abolishment of the East Syracuse Police Department starting Jan. 1, 2015.
The village board adopted the budget at a special meeting on April 24.
“I’m just excited we have another year of a decreased tax rate,” said Mayor Robert Tackman. “It’s always a struggle to decrease the tax rate while also maintaining services residents expect.”
The East Syracuse clerk-treasurer can be reach at the village office, 204 N Center St., East Syracuse, or by calling 315-437-3541.
Fayetteville
For the first time in 16 years, residents in Fayetteville can expect to see an increase in the tax rate, which, according to the adopted budget, was $7.20 per $1000 assessed value, an increase of 50 cents from last year.
The total budget amount is $6.1 million, a slight increase to the 2016-17 budget amount of $5.9 million. The amount to be raised by taxes is $2.2 million. Total revenues for the adopted budget were $5.9 million, and about $10,500 will be taken from the village’s fund balance.
The village had to override this year’s tax cap, which was set to 1.3 percent, and the budget was adopted at a special meeting of the village board on April 21.
Mayor Mark Olson attributed some of the tax rate increase to a decrease in the overall revenue of the village, increasing costs of health insurance and retirement and a flat property tax assessment of the village.
“I always have said I will not give the residents a tax increase, but there just wasn’t any other way to do it this year,” said Olson.
The Fayetteville clerk-treasurer can be reached at the village office, 425 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville, or by calling 315-637-9864.
Manlius
Residents in the village of Manlius can expect to pay the same tax rate as last year, which is $7.95 per $1,000 assessed value. The total budget amount was about $6.0 million, which is an increase compared to the budget amount of $5.5 million in 2016-17. The amount of be raised by taxes totaled to $2.2 million to be raised by taxes, which is the same as last year’s budget.
Total revenues were estimated to be about $5.9 million, and about $131,000 will be used from the village’s fund balance. The village was able to stay under the state tax levy cap. The village board adopted their budget at their April 25 meeting.
The Manlius clerk-treasurer can be reach at the Manlius Village Centre, 1 Arkie Albanese Avenue, Manlius, or by calling 315-682-9171.
Minoa
The tax rate in Minoa also will stay level with the 2017-18 adopted budget, remaining at $9.23 per $1,000 assessed value. The total budget amount was $3.6 million, which was the same for the 2016-17 budget. The estimated revenue for the village is $1.9 million.
The amount to be raised by taxes is $1.5 million, and about $230,750 will be used from the village’s fund balance. The budget was adopted at the April 3 organizational meeting of the village board.
“I think my board did a great job of looking to see where we could cut costs while still giving the residents the services they need,” said Mayor Bill Brazill.
The Minoa clerk-treasurer can be reached at the village office, 240 N. Main St., Minoa, or by calling 315-656-3100.
