Yorktown Budget Calls for 7.72 Percent Tax Increase, Could Drop to 4.75

Yorktown Supervisor Michael Grace has released his tentative 2013 budget of 32.2 million, which initially included a 7.72 percent tax hike for the majority of residents, but after town board members discussed a revised budget last week, he said that rate would go down to 4.75 percent.

Yorktown town board members will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 20 to review the budget before adopting a preliminary budget. 

Grace's initially proposed budget called for a 7.72 percent increase in the town’s "ADL tax rate" – composed of the general, highway and library fund. The reason why Grace said it would drop down to 4.75 is because the town would dip into the fund balance, see a one-time savings of about $800,000 with a new garbage hauler contract and use $750,000 to loser that water district fund balance.

"All towns dwell on the operating budget – the ADL budget," said Yorktown Councilman Nick Bianco, who said this was one of the highest proposed budget increases in years.

However, there are 28 different taxing districts within the town of Yorktown with its own budget and tax rate. Residents' total town tax bill depends on what districts they live in.

For example, the tax bill for the typical resident with town utilities would decrease 0.50 percent, according to numbers in the proposed tentative budget. Residents without town utilities, would see an increase of 2.58 percent on their tax bill, according to the budget.

The proposed budget does not include raises for elected officials, which is a proposal Councilman Bianco said he would like to have a further discussion on. The town supervisor serves a two-year term and is paid $112,095 a year. Members of the town board serve a four-year term and are paid $18,085 a year.

No layoffs are called for under the current proposed budget.

The official budget hearing on the budget is scheduled for Dec. 5 at Town Hall. Town board members must adopt the budget by Dec. 20. 

For a copy of the town's budget, go to the town's website.

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