Budget hearing planned for Nov. 4
SAUGERTIES, N.Y. » The Town Board will hold a public hearing Nov. 4 on the proposed $13.1 million town budget for 2021.
The hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the Frank D. Greco Memorial Senior Citizen Center at 207 Market St. There also will be a videoconferencing option for which access information will be posted on the town website (bit.ly/saug-town).
The proposed budget is about 0.6% larger than the town’s 2020 spending plan.
The proposed proper t y tax levy is just under $10.7 million, an increase of about 0.9% f rom this year.
Town Super vis or Fred Costello said the new budget “is still a work in progress,” though he noted the tax levy increase will remain below the maximum set by the state.
All elected officials in the town would get pay raises under the proposed budget: 2.5% for the supervisor, 2.2% for each of the four members of the Town Board, 3.2% for each of the two town justices, 2.5% for the tax collector, 2.2% for the town clerk and 4.5% for the highway superintendent.
Costello said town expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic still are being assessed but that other key elements of the budget are locked in.
“We do have some stability,” he said. “We were able to contract for an increase in health insurance already. ... We do currently have agreements with all our labor units, and we made a fair anticipation of what the cost for the pensions would be for this year.”
Anticipated spending increases in the budget include 4.9% for the police department, 2.4% for road maintenance, 1.2% for town parks, 1.8% for buildings and grounds, 3.7% for safety inspections and 1.1% for solid waste disposal.
Expected decreases in spending include 3.1% for youth programs.