Brockport residents to be hit with tax increase

Police department expenditures, a shrinking fund balance, loss of assessed value for the village and the trickle down effect from September 11 have all apparently contributed to a more than 27.16 percent increase in the tax rate for Brockport residents.

"The village is facing a financial crisis," Treasurer Scott Rightmyer said. "For seven years our taxes have stayed the same or gone down … those times are changing."

The preliminary budget presented at an informal meeting March 26 indicates the tax rate for residents will rise from $6.37 to $8.10 per thousand of assessed value, he said. Rightmyer said even though the tax rate will rise almost 27.2 percent, the average tax bill would increase by about 6.77 percent. The average tax bill in 2001-2002 on a home assessed at $84,737 was $642.84 and taxes on the same home for 2002-2003 are estimated to be $686.36.

Rightmyer said one of the reasons for the financial difficulties is the comptroller discourages a large fund balance and in the past the village has been able to hold the line on taxes because of their fund balance. "The past few years we have had high returns on our investments and our stocks have done well and we were able to put that money back into the fund balance," he said. "Of our $750,000 fund balance we will have to use about $600,000 this year to fund the budget."

He stressed to the audience that the budget packet they received at the meeting was not the complete budget. "This is not the final budget … these may not be the final figures."

Mayor Josephine Matela said the village is also facing a shortfall in sales tax revenues from the county. "Right now we are down about $9,000."

Resident John Bush asked what the administration was doing to eliminate spending. "Maybe you have to look at cuts," he said. "What will we do to look at this for the next year?"

Matela said village officials were going to begin working on the next year’s budget when they complete this year's. "We’re going to get started early and we are going to look at every department … at every expenditure."

Residents questioned the increased spending in the police department which accounts for more than $226,000 in increases. The department is slated to receive two new officers, a grant writer and upgrades in computer equipment. The new officers, it is hoped, will cut down on the overtime that has been spent in the department. According to the police contract, there must be two officers on each shift and because of not having enough staffing, Chief Daniel Varrenti explained at a previous meeting, officers are called in to work extra shifts and must be paid overtime. During the past five years the department has spent more than $700,000 in overtime.

"We’re not happy with this budget," Matela said. "But we’ve spent so much in overtime and we aren’t getting any value for our money. If we add the officers we will be getting something for the community."

The cost of hiring two new officers, Rightmyer said, is $41,273 for base pay and fringe benefits. After 18 months, the officer’s pay is $71,500 and at the end of the three year contract they are earning $86,000.

Village officials were questioned about a $10,000 budgeted decrease for legal spending when the village is embroiled in many on-going legal issues. "We feel confident we won’t have exorbitant legal fees this year," Matela said.

The village budgeted $75,400 in legal fees for the past year and have actually spent $90,500. They budgeted for $65,000 in the upcoming budget year.

Matela was questioned as to why the village has had, at various times, more than six attorneys working for the village. "You go to a specialist when you are ill, and we go to special attorneys to negotiate special contracts. It’s the same as a doctor," she said. "It’s also very unusual to have lawsuits go on for as long as they have."

Brockport's government, Matela said, is an open one that operates in the sunshine. "A case in point is in the case of the Webster lawsuit. They have filed more than 280 Freedom of Information Law requests and we have complied with every one of them," she said. "I know people are concerned with legal fees but you have to understand every time a FOIL is filed, it costs the village money."

With the contamination issue Matela said the village has been reimbursed for more than $40,000 in legal fees from 3M. "I think everyone would agree that our pursuing this case is in the best interests of the community and its residents."

Bob Connors asked how the village could justify creating new positions when they are facing a budget crunch. "I don’t disagree with sending someone to the drug task force but I think the history of the return on our investment should be reviewed."

The village is also entering into the formation of a local development corporation and spending on that project and the hiring of an employee was also questioned. "We have to get people out there to go out and promote our community," Matela said. "We need to get people to come here and make an investment in Brockport."

Jim Stull said overtime in the police department has long been a problem but "throwing patrolmen at it won’t solve the problem." He said the village needs to work toward concessions when negotiating the next contract. "People are saying this increase is unacceptable," he said. "There are things we’d like to see but we just can’t afford them so we have to put them on the back burner."

Matela said she was happy that residents came out to express their concerns. "There were quite a few legitimate concerns that we will try to address in the budget process," she said.

The final budget proposal will be presented April 3. It must be passed by May 31.