Clifton Park tax hike

Supervisor Barrett cites road paving, infrastructure and rising gas prices as reasons

Bump in taxes due to highway spending increase next year.

Town taxpayers will see a bump in taxes due to highway spending increase next year, Town Supervisor Phil Barrett said.

Barrett released details of his tentative 2019 budget Thursday. The spending plan will again have no general fund property tax and it does not exceed the state tax cap, Barrett said.

The highway fund budget would be $5.73 million, or less than a 1 percent increase over 2018. The tax based on the fund would rise from about 28 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to about 30 cents, he said.

The general fund totals $17.58 million, a 1.6 percent increase over the 2018 budget.

Barrett said spending increases are related to more road paving and infrastructure projects and rising fuel and road salt prices. The winter season for 2017-18 was long and expensive for the highway department, he noted.

The EMS tax will fall from 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to 24 cents. The rate has decreased by more than 30 percent in recent years “due to the burgeoning health care industry in Clifton Park, an expanding commercial tax base and responsible budgeting,” Barrett said. The tax in 2000 was 26 cents per $1,000.

The budget does not include any cost-of-living raises for employees.

The town is negotiating with its two Civil Service Employee Association bargaining units.

Also included in the budget is money for a free hazardous waste collection

program for town residents, to be held in September. The budget does not use available carry-over from previous budget years as allowed by the tax cap formula, Barrett said.

Barrett said the state comptroller’s fiscal stress-monitoring test results reflect the town’s positive cash flow, very low debt and significant fund balance.

The town will continue to invest in the expansion of the recreational and trail network, infrastructure, family programs and all elements of the community that protect and enhance the quality of life, he said.