Taxes and Fees
The 2009 tentative budget by the numbers
By Lee Chowaniec
Oct 9, 2008, 19:06

At Monday evening’s Lancaster Town Board meeting, the writer asked whether the tentative budget was available for review. Town Clerk Johanna Coleman indicated it was. When asked if she knew what the bottom line was, she replied she did not. Supervisor Robert Giza declared there were slight decreases in the villages and that the town itself would see a slight increase.

The Buffalo News and Lancaster Bee reported that the townwide general tax rate of $2.41 per $1,000 of assessed value would remain the same as in 2008.

It was also reported that residents would see a 3.42 percent tax increase and that the tax rate would now be $8.04 per $1,000 assessed property value and that town residents would see a $31.71 increase on a home valued at $100,000.

On the plus side is that the Village of Lancaster is paying off its sales tax receipts to the town as was agreed upon in the 2003 Town and Village of Lancaster combining of police forces. Lighting and garbage districts saw minimal increases. A significant decrease is seen in the total “undistributed” line item in the townwide portion of the budget.

On the negative side, Supervisor Giza listed debt payments for the waterline project, box culvert replacements an escalating gas, oil and salt costs.

What was not covered was the general increase in budget spending, reasons for and how a 3.24 percent budget was attainted. In today’s world a 3.24 percent budget increase seems reasonable when spending is under control.

Town Outside of Villages Budget

The tentative $27,710,938 budget increases overall spending by 4.8%

The Ad Velorem portion of the budget increases by 4.32% ($20.08 million to $20.95 million):

The General Townwide Fund increases by 1.1% ($7.85 million to $7.93 million).

The General Fund – Town Outside of Villages increases by 4.4% ($855,977 to $893,369).

Police Fund increases by 4.8% ($7.76 million to $8.15 million.)

Highway Fund increases by 10.6% ($3.39 million to $3.8 million).

The Special Districts portion of the budget increases by 6.2% ($6.37 million to $6.76 million).

Refuse spending increases by 2% ($2.14 million to $2.19 million).

Lighting spending decreases by 0.42% ($315,383 to $314,063).

Fire Protection spending increases by 5.00% ($3.32 million to $3.49 million).

Water Districts spending increase by 31.6% ($591,802 to ($778,857).

Other

Revenue appropriated from Fund Balance - $1.3 million (near $5 million will remain in the fund).

Revenue appropriated from Debt Service Reserve - $54,000.

Amount to be raised by taxation: $18.12 million ($17.40 in 2008 budget; 4.2% increase).

Taxable Valuation in 2009 budget - $2.304 billion (2008 - $2.274 billion). 1.32% increase ($30.02 million increase).

No full time positions were added to the 2009 budget.

All town employees will receive a 3% salary increase.

Added longevity stipends put salary increases between 4 and 5 percent.

“It’s a hold the line, status quo budget,” say Supervisor Giza.

Maybe so for the villages, but not for town residents.
A home within the Village of Lancaster assessed at $100,000, the tax bill would drop $14.29, from $598.73 to $584.

A home in the Village of Depew assessed at $100,000, the tax bill decrease by $1, from $243 to $242.

A home in the Town of Lancaster assessed at $100,000 will see a tax bill increase of $31, from $926.73 to $958.44.

Not a status quo budget by any means, but not a bad one considering escalating costs.





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