Reduces Proposed Tax Levy, Tax Rate
Submitted by Jim Goldstein
(Town of Lebanon, NY- Oct. 30, 2013) Lebanon town board members used the news of a final increase in the sales tax allocation from Madison County to reduce the proposed tax levy for 2014 from $361,422 to $359,005 and the proposed tax rate from $4.485 to $4.455 per $1,000 of assessed valuation after a budget workshop meeting on Monday, Oct. 28, 2013 at the Town Office in the hamlet.
The Town Board will take public comment on the budget at a public hearing on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. at the Town Office, 1210 Bradley Brook Road in the hamlet.
Town Supervisor Jim Goldstein received notice from Madison County Treasurer Cindy Edick that the town could expect $152,597 in sales tax revenues for 2014, up from the originally projected $147,280. Town officials agreed to split the funds between cost of living increases for some town officials, providing contractual assistance to the Hamilton library and reducing the overall town tax levy.
The proposed tax levy for 2014 at $359,005 represents a tax levy increase of $2,872 or .8 percent increase in the town tax levy of $356,193 from 2013. Town property taxes will rise less than one percent.
Lebanon town officials, after reviewing all budget lines and discussing salary requests with several town officials, voted unanimously to use $2,900 of the additional $5,317 in sales tax revenues to provide cost of living increases to Town Highway Superintendent Alex Hodge, Town Justice Brian Forsythe, Town Dog Control Officer Stephanie Lowe and Town Code Enforcement Officer Donald Forth. The Town Board also agreed to increase the number of reimbursed hours for the town bookkeeper commensurate with the increasing work load.
Salary changes proposed are as follows:
Highway Superintendent Hodge – increase from $46,865 to $48, 665
Town Justice Brian Forsythe – increase from $3,600 to $3,800.
Dog Control Officer Stephanie Lowe – increase from $2,400 to $2,600.
Code Enforcement Officer Donald Forth – increase from $7,100 to $7,300
Goldstein said that the town budget also includes a proposed 50 cents per hour cost of living increase for highway employees.
Town board members agreed to a request by the Hamilton library, which is used by a significant number of Lebanon residents, to contract for services at a cost of $500. Lebanon currently contracts with the Earlville Free Library for $600 annually. Both Madison County libraries are facing significant reductions in the proposed upcoming Madison County 2014 budget.