No taxes for 37th straight year in $8.7M budget

WILTON, N.Y. >> The Town Board recently adopted an $8.7 million budget for 2019 that features no town general fund or Highway Department tax for the 37th straight year.

Numbers are unchanged from the tentative budget that officials first unveiled last month.

Spending is up approximately $460,000, or 5.3 percent, although officials were able to balance the budget, without using surplus funds, because of continued strong sales tax growth, which makes up nearly 75 percent of town revenues.

Wilton is getting about $300,000 more in sales tax than anticipated this year. Income from other sources such as planning board application and engineering review fees are also up, from new development in town.

In capital projects, the town plans to build a new pavilion and install air conditioning in Dailey Gymnasium at Gavin Park next year, in addition to constructing new Highway Department salt loading stations.

All town employees, including elected officials, will get a 2 percent raise under the 2019 budget.

The 2019 budget includes $850,000 for road improvements and $300,000 to replace large snow plow trucks.

Highway Superintendent Kirklin D. Woodcock said 2019 promises to be a busy one with road improvements planned throughout Wilton.

Targeted locations are Louden Road from Wilton Mall’s rear entrance to Weibel Avenue; Old Gick Road from Route 50 to the YMCA’s Wilton branch facility; Lowe’s Drive from Old Gick Road to the Walmart entrance; plus paving streets such as Oxford Drive and Manchester Drive within subdivisions off Ruggles Road.