The draft 2015-16 village budget calls for $21,000 in additional spending and would raise the tax rate by four cents per $1,000.
The budget, introduced at the March 16 Village Board meeting, includes $2,286,029 in spending from the general fund. The tax rate would increase from $6.32 to $6.36 per $1,000 assessed value.
A public hearing on the budget will be held at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 6.
The budget will likely be somewhat different by that time. Over the next three weeks, Mayor William Murphy, treasurer Helene King and trustee Vince Buono, who chairs the finance committee, will sit down with each superintendent to discuss their budget requests and come up with a final number.
The village’s water and waste water departments are not included in the general fund. They are funded by user fees paid by all village residents and businesses as well as those in town water and sewer districts.
The proposed water budget is $1,218,461.59, a 2.8 percent increase. The proposed wastewater budget is $988,187.67, a 4.6 percent decrease. Rates remain the same.
In discussing the municipal budget, Murphy said trustees expect to see savings in wages and salaries with the retirement of two long-time employees, Village Clerk Mary Frank and DPW Superintendent Robert Ciarlante.
Some of the increases in revenue include $5,000 more in justice fines from $80,000 last year to $85,000 in the coming fiscal year. Murphy said this does not mean police will be writing more tickets.
Because of the amount of snow the village received this year, and the increased cost of salt, the budget for snow removal was increased from $35,000 to $40,000.
The budget for parks equipment has been increased from $10,000 to $20,000 for the ongoing replacement of playgrounds deemed unsafe by the village’s insurer.