L’pool trustees pass $2.7 million spending plan

By Russ Tarby

Contributing Writer

At its April 14 meeting, the Liverpool Village Board of Trustees unanimously adopted the proposed 2020-2021 village budget. Taxes will remain flat for the ninth year in a row.

The trustees – Matt Devendorf, Christina Fadden, Michael LaMontagne, Jason Recor and Mayor Gary White – approved projected expenditures of $2,697,605. Last year’s budget total was $2,680,997.

There will be no increase in the current village tax rate of $12.45 per $1,000 in assessed property value, according to Mayor White. For instance, a property assessed at $100,000 will receive a tax bill for $1,245.

“I’m just glad we were able to do what we always do, avoid raising taxes,” White said.

The last time village taxes went up was in 2011, the year after Onondaga County cut villages out of its annual sales tax revenue-sharing program.  Suddenly short by $285,000, the village of Liverpool raised taxes by approximately 22 percent to pay for its 2011-12 budget. It was the first tax hike here in 14 years.

Due to current pandemic-related restrictions, the April 14 village board meeting was closed to citizens but was broadcast via Facebook Live.

“We alerted the public ahead of time on Facebook and on our website, and we checked with the village attorney to make sure we could hold a public hearing this way,” explained Village Clerk Mary Ellen Sims. The proposed budget was the subject of the public hearing. “We also let people know that they could register their comments with the village clerk’s office,” Sims said.

No comments were made via Facebook, nor has the clerk received any calls or correspondence about the budget as of April 24.

The budget calls for spending $90,200 from the village’s unexpended fund balance on capital projects. Purchases are planned for a new police cruiser for $35,000, a new DPW pickup truck for $40,000 and $13,200 for office equipment and upgrades.

The total amount of taxable values in the village has recently increased. Last year taxes were levied on properties totaling $127,902,960 in value. This year that number is $131,431,763. When the tax rate is applied to that taxable value, the village would raise $1,636,325.

All properties in the village are also assessed a $130-per unit sewer rent charge.

The budget funds village departments of public works, police, village court, clerks, codes enforcement and the operation of the Village Hall at 310 Sycamore St.

LPD stats for March

At the village trustees’ April 14 meeting, Liverpool Police Chief Donald Morris reported his department’s activity during the previous month via memo.

In February, LPD officers made 152 traffic stops and issued 143 citations for violations of the state’s vehicle and traffic laws, made two DWI arrests, and wrote a single parking ticket. They also investigated five accidents. Officers made 200 residential checks and responded to a total of 581 incidents and calls for service last month.

The department arrested 23 individuals in March on 30 criminal charges.