West Seneca's Budget for 2018

Although the Supervisor's tentative budget for next year has not been released we have learned from the agenda for the 9/18 meeting that they are introducing a measure to override the 2% tax cap so it is anticipated that the tentative budget calls for a property tax increase greater than 2%.

From information obtain from the State Comptroller's website ( https://www.scribd.com/document/3590...-Results-Trend ) I have computed the following:

• Between 2011 and 2016 our property taxes increased by 12.93%
• Between 2011 and 2016 our cost for debt service on money the town borrowed increased by 232.89%
• From 2011 to 2016 the amount of principal debt increased by 241.42%
• General Government expenses between 2011 and 2016 increased by 241.83%
• Of the General Government expenses the Administrative expense increased between 2011 and 2016 by 457.91%
  

After reading the Supervisor's transmittal letter on the tentative budget I noted she states "the General Fund's tax rate is a mere $0.88, 8.3 percent higher, than it was in 2009." First, using the tax rate is not a good comparison of the cost of government. It should be compared using the actual amount of money to be raised by property taxes. Second it is factually incorrect. I produced the attached comparison using the 2009 budget and the tentative budget just released.

Attachment 4769

dt, good for you. I’ve been harping for some time on the need to look at the tax levy and not the rate when looking at spending. An increase in overall assessed value can keep the rate/thousand low while actual taxes raised continue to rise. Certainly, in this housing market, valuations are increasing making focus on the tax rate a useless diversion from a focus on real changes in spending.

So when a town board only states the rate I would say they are misleading us property owners when it comes to their spending habits.

"We held the rate to last years figures" We kept your property taxes the same.

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Originally Posted by WNYresident

So when a town board only states the rate I would say they are misleading us property owners when it comes to their spending habits.

"We held the rate to last years figures" We kept your property taxes the same.

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No it does not mean a thing. As I said in: https://www.speakupwny.com/forums/sh...=1#post1741866

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Assessments do not generate more money for the town. The formula for the tax rate is:

(Total Appropriations budgeted$ - Revenue from sales tax and other sources$) / Total Valuation$

So regardless of what you are assessed at the town will get what it needs through property taxes that is not covered by revenue from other sources.

A municipality needs to have a plan to reassess every parcel of property every 5 years or so, or otherwise it could face challenges on the constitutionality of its assessments on equal protection grounds.

So as mentioned above you need to help candidates get into office that will reduce the amount of appropriations that are not covered by other revenue sources. Not just sit back and bitch about tax rates, assessments, etc.

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Originally Posted by grump

dt, good for you. I’ve been harping for some time on the need to look at the tax levy and not the rate when looking at spending. An increase in overall assessed value can keep the rate/thousand low while actual taxes raised continue to rise. Certainly, in this housing market, valuations are increasing making focus on the tax rate a useless diversion from a focus on real changes in spending.

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Unfortunately, DTWarren is in the 10% of the educated on this subject. 20% of city/town actually cares about their taxes. I sound like a broken record but what did you expect from the Town of West Seneca and Cheektowaga? The two towns are similar in every way. How do you expect your taxes to go down when you employee 100+ full-time employees plus another 50+ retirees. Did someone actually think the towns' taxes would go down 5%?

Until you outsource the police and garbage, your taxes will continue to rise. I'm all ears with ideas on lowering taxes in West Seneca and Cheektowaga outside of those two ideas.

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Originally Posted by dtwarren

Although the Supervisor's tentative budget for next year has not been released we have learned from the agenda for the 9/18 meeting that they are introducing a measure to override the 2% tax cap so it is anticipated that the tentative budget calls for a property tax increase greater than 2%.

From information obtain from the State Comptroller's website ( https://www.scribd.com/document/3590...-Results-Trend ) I have computed the following:

• Between 2011 and 2016 our property taxes increased by 12.93%
• Between 2011 and 2016 our cost for debt service on money the town borrowed increased by 232.89%
• From 2011 to 2016 the amount of principal debt increased by 241.42%
• General Government expenses between 2011 and 2016 increased by 241.83%
• Of the General Government expenses the Administrative expense increased between 2011 and 2016 by 457.91%
  

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DTWarren;

I noticed the Town of West Seneca doesn't contribute Life Insurance?

Do you know what the detail is behind this line item - A71101 Parks, Pers Serv? Where do they put the ice rink cost?

How did the expenses increase from 31% from '11 to '16? The biggest increases were COMMUNITY SERVICES and Interest On Debt, 200% increase from '11 to '16

How did the Union Benefits Program increase 1500%?

Are the following new line items?
Landfill Closures - 2016, no expense in 2011?
Public Safety Administration - 2016, no expense in 2011?
Miscellaneous Economic Development - 2016, no expense in 2011?

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Originally Posted by WSFirst

DTWarren;

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Do you know what the detail is behind this line item - A71101 Parks, Pers Serv? Where do they put the ice rink cost?

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I believe the Ice Rink is not broken out and is lumped in with other rec facilities. I do not know the detail behind this line.

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Do you think it's broken down some where else? This way the board can review maintenance/operational cost with other rec facilities?

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Originally Posted by dtwarren

Do you think it's broken down some where else? This way the board can review maintenance/operational cost with other rec facilities?

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Has to be. The energy bill has to be $100-140k a year.