County: Expect a 5 percent increase
NORWICH – Chenango County’s financial leaders are estimating a nearly 5 percent increase on the tax levy next year in order to keep government running and services provided.
“It’s not great news, and this is a mid-stream guess. We’ve got a long ways to go,” Treasurer William E. Evans told members of the Finance Committee last Thursday before passing out documentation intended to explain his office’s calculations.
At an overall county government cost of more than $80 million, the local share for 2010 is estimated to be $23,818,392, a 4.9 percent increase over 2009.
The increase could be offset by federal Medicaid assistance, and not all departments’ budgets have been scrutinized. However, the sheriff’s, corrections and nurses contracts are yet to be settled.
Last year’s total payroll was $17.67 million plus $7.35 million in benefits. Benefits already negotiated for next year represent a half million dollar increase.
Revenues from the New York State Department of Social Services, money that is intended to compensate the county for administering state mandated programs, are expected to be down by nearly $1 million.
The projection also asks for about $1 million more for road and bridge maintainence.
The budget would include sales tax collections at $6.75 million, the same amount as last year despite a drop of about 8 percent throughout the Central New York region since January. Chenango County’s quarterly returns have been anywhere from $6.7 to $6.8 million this year compared to an average of $7.3 million in 2008.
Evans said collections are leveling off, and could even go higher in the third and fourth quarters. The county reportedly took in $33,000 in sales tax from the federal government/General Motors “Cash for Clunkers” program.
The average countywide tax rate will fluctuate, either increasing or decreasing, in all 22 municipalities based on state-established equalization rates. Finance Committee member Wayne C. Outwater, R-Lincklaen, pointed to lower property assessment numbers in his town.
“State land is down $400,000 in Lincklaen, and nobody can figure out why,” he said.
To cut spending, Evans pointed to other counties that are changing the structure of their governments and slashing programs. “In planning for 2011, 2012 and beyond, I don’t see a lot of relief,” he said.
By the finish of last year’s budgeting season, supervisors were able to pare down the estimated increase of 2.2 percent to a mere .01 percent, in part by applying surplus. About $1 million has been taken rom the general fund every year since 2002 in order to keep taxes down, and lawmakers are poised to do the same for next year.
Chenango County began 2009 with a surplus of $12.8 million.
“With sales tax collections down, the rainy day fund is there... It sure is raining on people now,” Evans said.
“It’s not great news, and this is a mid-stream guess. We’ve got a long ways to go,” Treasurer William E. Evans told members of the Finance Committee last Thursday before passing out documentation intended to explain his office’s calculations.
At an overall county government cost of more than $80 million, the local share for 2010 is estimated to be $23,818,392, a 4.9 percent increase over 2009.
The increase could be offset by federal Medicaid assistance, and not all departments’ budgets have been scrutinized. However, the sheriff’s, corrections and nurses contracts are yet to be settled.
Last year’s total payroll was $17.67 million plus $7.35 million in benefits. Benefits already negotiated for next year represent a half million dollar increase.
Revenues from the New York State Department of Social Services, money that is intended to compensate the county for administering state mandated programs, are expected to be down by nearly $1 million.
The projection also asks for about $1 million more for road and bridge maintainence.
The budget would include sales tax collections at $6.75 million, the same amount as last year despite a drop of about 8 percent throughout the Central New York region since January. Chenango County’s quarterly returns have been anywhere from $6.7 to $6.8 million this year compared to an average of $7.3 million in 2008.
Evans said collections are leveling off, and could even go higher in the third and fourth quarters. The county reportedly took in $33,000 in sales tax from the federal government/General Motors “Cash for Clunkers” program.
The average countywide tax rate will fluctuate, either increasing or decreasing, in all 22 municipalities based on state-established equalization rates. Finance Committee member Wayne C. Outwater, R-Lincklaen, pointed to lower property assessment numbers in his town.
“State land is down $400,000 in Lincklaen, and nobody can figure out why,” he said.
To cut spending, Evans pointed to other counties that are changing the structure of their governments and slashing programs. “In planning for 2011, 2012 and beyond, I don’t see a lot of relief,” he said.
By the finish of last year’s budgeting season, supervisors were able to pare down the estimated increase of 2.2 percent to a mere .01 percent, in part by applying surplus. About $1 million has been taken rom the general fund every year since 2002 in order to keep taxes down, and lawmakers are poised to do the same for next year.
Chenango County began 2009 with a surplus of $12.8 million.
“With sales tax collections down, the rainy day fund is there... It sure is raining on people now,” Evans said.
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