Taxes and Fees Financial Comparisons between Depew and Other Villages: Part 2 Expenditures By Gary S. Howell Mar 22, 2007, 19:29 Email this article  Printer friendly page Late last year, the Office of the New York State Comptroller issued a Financial Report on Villages. The report shows how the average New York State village collects revenues and spends them. To do this, the report breaks down revenues and expenditures by category. The Village of Depew recently issued its budget for fiscal 2007 – 2008. The expenditures in that budget will be compared to statewide village averages to see how Depew compares. ~ The State report examines salary and benefit costs as a portion of total expenses. According to the report, “Village personnel costs (including salaries and benefits) accounted for 57 percent of current operations.” In fiscal 2007 – 2008, personnel costs for Depew comprise a whopping 68 percent of total expenditures. Salaries total $5,258,879 (45%) and benefits total $2,774, 883 (24%). Population-wise, Depew is ranked tenth among New York State’s nineteen largest villages. Depew collects the highest proportion of property tax (68 percent) and spends the largest portion on salaries and benefits (68 percent), within this group. ~ According to the State Comptroller’s report the largest category of expenditures for average villages is public safety. Among the State’s 554 villages, the average village spends 22 percent of its budget on public safety. Depew spends 26 percent. The next largest expense for the average village is other costs. Other costs exclude expenses for public safety, employee benefits, general government, sanitation, highways, culture and recreation, and health programs. The average village dedicates 18 percent of its expenditures towards other expenses. In comparison, Depew uses 27 percent of its expenditures for other expenses. General government expenses account for 17 percent of the average village’s expenditures. Depew appropriates a mere 5 percent towards these costs. Employee benefits account for 16 percent of the average village’s expenditures. Depew consigns 24 percent towards employee benefits. Sanitation costs eat up 11 percent of the average village’s expenditures. Depew uses 5 percent of its budget to pay for sanitation. The average village dedicates 10 percent of its expenditures towards roads and highways. Depew is on par, apportioning 10 percent towards this category. An average village utilizes 5 percent of its budget paying for Culture and Recreation. Depew’s costs for this category are 4 percent. New York States average village applies 0.3 percent of its expenditures towards Health programs. Depew applies 0.1 percent. ~ Earlier this week, Depew elected new leaders. They face a daunting task. Depew relies heavily on income from property taxes. Over two thirds of all income Depew collects is spent on wages and benefits. To insure financial viability, the new leaders must find ways to increase non-property tax income while reducing wages and benefits. ~ © Copyright 2008 by Speakupwny.com Top of Page

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