Legislators make few budget changes

Nov 03, 2015 at 11:20 pm by Observer-Review


Legislators make few budget changes ADVERTISEMENT

Legislators make few budget changes

YATES COUNTY--The Yates County Legislature met Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 26 and 27 to hold their public 2016 budget workshops. The legislators combed through the preliminary 2016 budget to look for additional reductions, while county department heads made their cases for additional funding in their departments. However, the changes made to the budget were minor, with little impact to the proposed 1.4 percent tax levy increase.
Monday's changes over $1,000 include:
• A $25,000 reduction in court security's state aid line item.
• A $15,000 reduction in the jail's hospital charges line item.
• A $4,000 reduction in the county clerk's mortgage tax line item.
Day one also saw a $35,000 increase in the communications tower transition line item from the communications reserve.
Tuesday's changes include:
• A $8,377 increase in the Programs for the Aging Yates County ProAction line item.
• A $5,000 increase in the Department of Social Services (DSS) office supplies line item.
• A $4,000 increase in the public safety building supplies line item.
• A $3,000 reduction in the DSS mileage line item.
• A $2,500 reduction in the refuse and garbage trash removal line item.
Day two also saw a $250,000 reduction in the road fund, with a $250,000 increase in the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) project bituminous materials line item.
The county's tax levy remains within the allowable 1.41 percent state tax cap. Overall expenditures in the 2016 budget are down, while revenues are also decreased from the 2015 budget. The proposed 2016 property tax rate will decline to $6.72 per $1,000 from the 2015 tax rate of $6.90 per $1,000, a reduction of 2.61 percent. The county would be using less in reserves to offset the tax levy in 2016, while the mandated net expenses in the preliminary budget account for more than 60 percent of the total tax levy.

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