NORWICH – Chenango County taxpayers, on average, will pay about 30 cents more for government services and programs next year, according to a draft budget released by the treasurer’s office.
The tentative $86.7 million spending plan for 2013, which is in well ahead of schedule, would eliminate 2.5 jobs and provide funds to pave more miles of county roads.
It also reduces the amount of general fund surplus that would be applied from $3.08 million in 2012 to $2.90 million. The 2013 total application of surplus is $3.75 million, or about .12 percent less than what was applied this year. Reserves are tapped from county general, county road, road machinery, and Stop DWI accounts.
Chenango County is currently debt free and has about $20.3 million in reserve.
“This budget represents a determination to deliver services as efficiently as possible and assure that taxpayers receive the value they deserve, especially in trying economic times,” said Chenango County Treasurer William C. Craine. “We hope to move toward a goal of applying just $2,500,000 a year, despite spiking pension costs.”
Employees’ social security, health insurance and pension benefits will increase by $307,000 to more than $10 million next year. Health insurance goes up 4 percent; pensions will rise to $4.4 million.
Although the average tax rate would increase to $12.84 from $12.54 in 2012, it would still be lower than it was in 2011, or $12.87. Individual tax rates will depend on total assessed property values and state-established equalization rates in each of the county’s 22 municipalities. For the first time in a number of years, the county’s overall assessed value, estimated at $1.8 billion, dropped by more than a million, Craine said.
The draft budget complies with New York’s mandated 2 percent property tax cap. The county treasurer pointed out that while the state has taken action to cap future annual Medicaid costs, the county will pay additional local share Medicaid charges in both 2013 and 2014 until the full cap is in place. The Department of Social Services plans to budget an estimated $13.09 million for Medicaid, almost half of the $24.3 million levy the county hopes to raise to run the government next year.
The positions terminated are: one from Area Agency on Aging, one from Alcohol and Drug, and a half of a position after the reorganization of Stop DWI, traffic and youth programs.
The county board awarded 2.5 percent raises to department directors and themselves. The proposed plan would support the unsettled labor contract for corrections employees under the Chenango County Sheriff’s Employees Association.
Chenango County supervisors have spent the last two months sifting through departmental expenses in standing committee and moved budgets forward to the Finance Committee with very minimal increases, and some with decreases. In comparison to last year’s budget, the 2013 plan would pick up $619,558 more, or $13,089,614 million for social services programs; $307,194 more, or $10,043,656 million for employee benefits; and about $293,960 more, or $4.564 million for road and bridge maintenance. It also includes $114,313 more in the Sheriff’s budget for the settled contract with deputies and road patrol.
State law requires an official to present a budget to the clerk of the board’s office no later than Nov. 15. Budget meetings for lawmakers are subject to change but are currently scheduled for Nov. 16 and Nov. 19, with a public hearing to follow on Nov. 27. Supervisors could approve of the proposed plan and set the public hearing as early as at the next meeting of the board, on Nov. 13.