Adopted town budget cuts tax levy by 7.41%

Town Board members have adopted a $3.3 million budget that cuts the tax levy by 7.41 percent.

TOWN OF ROCHESTER >> Town Board members have adopted a $3.3 million budget, increasing spending 1.35 percent, or $43,938.

The spending plan, which was unanimously approved at a meeting Wednesday, provides for a $1.77 million property tax levy, which is 7.41 percent lower than that for 2016, with a decrease of $141,319. “Holding expenses down helped.

There was an unexpected drop in retirement so that helped, and I haven’t been hiring back full-timers where possible, so that’s helped us save some benefits,” Supervisor Carl Chipman said.

Among the largest decreases was the elimination of capital outlay expenses, which reduced appropriations by $205,000. Salaries for elected officials in the budget will rise by 2 percent for: supervisor, at $32,675, for a $641 increase; each of four Town Board members, at $5,518, for a $108 increase; clerk, at $41,839, for an $820 increase; highway superintendent, at $51,438, for a $1,009 increase; and two justices, at $14,029 each, for a $275 increase.

Other changes in the budget include:

• Employee benefits at $688,198, for a 2.93 percent increase of $19,568.

• Highway general repairs at $545,000, for a 3.37 percent decrease of $19,000.

• Refuse and garbage collection at $255,815, for a 0.09 percent decrease of $234.

• Highway Department machinery at $181,124, for a 1.55 percent decrease of $2,860.

• Snow removal at $175,905, for a 1.58 percent increase of $2,740.

• Youth programs at $159,256, for a 3.42 percent increase of $5,267.

• Public safety at $140,851 for a 6.29 percent increase of $8,338.