Owasco residents will get one last chance to voice their opinions about the town's 2009 budget on Thursday. An Owasco town councilman is among those who would like to see some changes.
Councilman Ed Wagner, in a letter to The Citizen, said he wanted to be proactive in letting residents know the proposed budget reflects inefficient use of taxpayers' money.
“A budget is a 'guesstimate',” Town Supervisor John Klink said, noting that the board worked over several sessions, going line-by-line to reach a consensus.
He noted that the town had a 7 cents per thousand tax levy that would not change.
“Ed played a role in all of that process,” Klink said.
The town board will vote on the proposed 2009 budget of $2,136, 674 at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Wagner said the budget reflects increases in general and highway appropriations by 11.8 percent and 7.1 percent respectively.
He also said water and sewer rates, which were increased this past year, did not cover operating expenses for providing the services, resulting in a projected deficit with little fund balance to cover the shortfall.
Starting Jan. 1, 2009, Sewer District No. 1 rates will increase from $1.35 per unit to $2.25, a 66.6 percent increase. Sewer District No. 2 rates will remain the same at $1.55 per unit, with a 14.8 percent increase.
These sewer rate increases include portions passed on from the city of Auburn, Wagner said.
Water rates will increase from $12 to $22.50, an 87.5 percent increase.
“I think the reason sewer/water rates are so high is that previous boards neglected to increase the rates when they should have. There was a lack of movement from previous boards,” Wagner said. “We've got to take a bond out for $1.6 million that will also be added to the costs for Sewer District No.1.”
“The reason for the water/sewer increases was that the board unanimously decided that rather than bonding for equipment, we would raise rates enough to establish a fund,” Klink said, which he considered more fiscally responsible.
He said that while general and highway funds could be adjusted throughout the fiscal year, the water and sewer districts have a “pay-as-you-go” policy because only those who have sewer and water are affected.
Community policing, the largest single increase in a line item expense in the proposed budget, amounts to an additional cost of $115,000 for a full-time police officer from the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office, including his salary of $65,000, plus a car and equipment. Wagner said the town has typically set aside $25,000 in its yearly budget to cover the cost of extra patrols every year. Once officers are off-duty at the sheriff's office, they sign up to volunteer to cover the town. As of Oct. 31, $8,619 has been spent this year on added patrols to Owasco.
Wagner said the number of arrests in Owasco averaged about six per year. On that basis, although there were 18 arrests in 2008, 12 of the offenders were involved in the same incident, which happened in the vicinity of the home of another town councilman. He said the response to that incident was not well thought out, and he believes the decision to add the full-time officer was an over reaction.
Sales tax revenues are also down. After a 2007 increase of $172,478 over 2006, this year's revenues amount to an increase of only $7,898 so far. Slow car sales, retail sales, building materials, gasoline, and food service are all projected to be lower in 2009.
“Sales tax alone will not balance the 2009 budget,” Wagner said in his letter.
While a county check for sales tax amounting to $392,247 needs to be posted to increase general and highway fund balances, the budget projects $398,644 to use from the general fund balance, at $377,519 as of Oct. 31, and $204,100 from highway, which currently has a balance of $52,862.
Wagner said he wrote his letter as a town official wanting Owasco citizens to have an opportunity to think about issues and details before decisions are made.
“I want to let people know what's going on before they get there,” Wagner said. “I won't accept anything more than a zero percent increase,” he said of the proposed budget.
“Everybody would like a zero percent increase,” Klink said.
“We're going to be there until we pass it,” Wagner added.
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
“A budget is a 'guesstimate',” Town Supervisor John Klink said, noting that the board worked over several sessions, going line-by-line to reach a consensus.
He noted that the town had a 7 cents per thousand tax levy that would not change.
“Ed played a role in all of that process,” Klink said.
The town board will vote on the proposed 2009 budget of $2,136, 674 at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Wagner said the budget reflects increases in general and highway appropriations by 11.8 percent and 7.1 percent respectively.
He also said water and sewer rates, which were increased this past year, did not cover operating expenses for providing the services, resulting in a projected deficit with little fund balance to cover the shortfall.
Starting Jan. 1, 2009, Sewer District No. 1 rates will increase from $1.35 per unit to $2.25, a 66.6 percent increase. Sewer District No. 2 rates will remain the same at $1.55 per unit, with a 14.8 percent increase.
These sewer rate increases include portions passed on from the city of Auburn, Wagner said.
Water rates will increase from $12 to $22.50, an 87.5 percent increase.
“I think the reason sewer/water rates are so high is that previous boards neglected to increase the rates when they should have. There was a lack of movement from previous boards,” Wagner said. “We've got to take a bond out for $1.6 million that will also be added to the costs for Sewer District No.1.”
“The reason for the water/sewer increases was that the board unanimously decided that rather than bonding for equipment, we would raise rates enough to establish a fund,” Klink said, which he considered more fiscally responsible.
He said that while general and highway funds could be adjusted throughout the fiscal year, the water and sewer districts have a “pay-as-you-go” policy because only those who have sewer and water are affected.
Community policing, the largest single increase in a line item expense in the proposed budget, amounts to an additional cost of $115,000 for a full-time police officer from the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office, including his salary of $65,000, plus a car and equipment. Wagner said the town has typically set aside $25,000 in its yearly budget to cover the cost of extra patrols every year. Once officers are off-duty at the sheriff's office, they sign up to volunteer to cover the town. As of Oct. 31, $8,619 has been spent this year on added patrols to Owasco.
Wagner said the number of arrests in Owasco averaged about six per year. On that basis, although there were 18 arrests in 2008, 12 of the offenders were involved in the same incident, which happened in the vicinity of the home of another town councilman. He said the response to that incident was not well thought out, and he believes the decision to add the full-time officer was an over reaction.
Sales tax revenues are also down. After a 2007 increase of $172,478 over 2006, this year's revenues amount to an increase of only $7,898 so far. Slow car sales, retail sales, building materials, gasoline, and food service are all projected to be lower in 2009.
“Sales tax alone will not balance the 2009 budget,” Wagner said in his letter.
While a county check for sales tax amounting to $392,247 needs to be posted to increase general and highway fund balances, the budget projects $398,644 to use from the general fund balance, at $377,519 as of Oct. 31, and $204,100 from highway, which currently has a balance of $52,862.
Wagner said he wrote his letter as a town official wanting Owasco citizens to have an opportunity to think about issues and details before decisions are made.
“I want to let people know what's going on before they get there,” Wagner said. “I won't accept anything more than a zero percent increase,” he said of the proposed budget.
“Everybody would like a zero percent increase,” Klink said.
“We're going to be there until we pass it,” Wagner added.
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
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