Woodstock town supervisor Bill McKenna presented a 2022 spending plan with a 4.78 percent tax-levy increase after no-tax-hike last year. Youth and senior recreation programs that were zeroed out due to Covid-19 were revived. Legal costs increased because building enforcement cases going to court.
Spending for all funds is proposed at $8.948 million, up $520,330, or 6.17 percent, from $8.427 million in 2021. The amount to be raised by taxes is up 4.78 percent. The tax levy comes in just $314 below the state tax cap of two percent for 2022. Municipalities, as did Woodstock, receive credits for not raising taxes the prior year.
The Woodstock Water District rate will increase two cents to 44 cents per 100 gallons, and the quarterly base meter charge will increase a dollar to $18. The sewer rates are unchanged at $1.02 per 100 gallons and $17 for the quarterly base charge.
“I’ll remind the board last year, we committed to a zero increase,” saidMcKenna. “So we held the line on a number of things or cut back severely. And I will remind everyone, at that point I said that we would sail past the tax cap. A couple of things worked in our favor, and that hasn’t happened yet.”
McKenna explained some increases. “We’ve seen more enforcement, which we’ve all called for, with regard to short-term rentals; with the dumping case up in Shady and a number of other things where we’ve been using the attorney to take cases to court,” he said. “So I increased that line in anticipation that we might see that continue for a little while.”
Also in the budget is Paul Smith, a part-time “floater” who has helped in different departments. Money is also included for a part-timer to learn the duties of bookkeeper Pam Boyle, though she has committed to serving for several more years, McKenna said.
All elected officials received three percent pay raises, with the salaries as follows: town supervisor Bill McKenna, $61,005; highway superintendent Scott Bonstell, $74,784; town clerk Jackie Earley, $55,375; and the other four members of the town board, $11,703 each.
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