Tax levy rising 18% in Milan

Friday, November 20, 2009
By WILLIAM J. KEMBLE
Correspondent

 

MILAN — The Town Board has adopted a $1.85 million budget for 2010 that will raise the town’s property tax levy by nearly 18 percent.

The spending plan, which is 16.88 percent larger than the town’s 2009 budget, was adopted Wednesday in a 3-1 vote. Supervisor Richard Barrett, and board members Bobbi Egan and David Byrne voted yes. Diane May voted no, and Ross Williams did not vote.

The amount to be generated through property tax next year was set at $915,350, an increase of $137,115, or 17.62 percent, over the 2009 level.

Williams on Thursday called “outrageous” a decision to include $77,000 to pay in advance for retirement benefits.

“Milan citizens are paying for two years of retirement payments this year and will be taxed a higher than necessary amount for next year,” he said.

“Next year ,they will have the discretion not to pay until 2011, but they will have citizens’ money,” he added. “They padded the 2010 budget at the expense of Milan taxpayers.”

The budget allots $14,420 for the supervisor’s office, up 3 percent from 2009; $16,480 for the Town Board, unchanged; $29,917 for the two town justices, up 3 percent; $23,022 for the town clerk, up 3 percent; and $4,033 for the tax collector, up 3 percent.

Other expenses in the budget include:

• Highway Department general repairs, $201,337, up 15 percent.
• Snow removal, $158,625, up 2 percent.
• Road improvements, $153,523, up 2.9 percent from 2009.
• Highway Department machinery, $91,753, up 33 percent.
• Maintenance of government buildings, $49,124, down 31.6 percent.
• Culture and recreation, $9,000, down 36.7 percent.

Anticipated revenues in the budget include:

• Fines and forfeitures, $333,000, up 66.5 percent from 2009.
• Sales taxes, $100,000, up 11.1 percent.
• Mortgage taxes, $90,000, up 12.5 percent.
• Facility leases, $57,000, up 26.7 percent.
• Trust income, $25,000, down 24.2 percent.