Proposed Hilton village budget comes with tax increase

Proposed Hilton village budget comes with tax increase

The tax rate for the Village of Hilton had remained the same for the past budget but for the proposed 2007-08 figures there is a proposed increase of 11 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The rate will go from $2.37 to $2.48 under the new budget. According to Village Clerk Janet Surridge, a taxpayer with a home assessed at $100,000 will see an increase of $11 per year.

Mayor Larry Gursslin said the board worked diligently for the past two months on its budget. "Considering the unknowns we are facing, this is a good budget," he said. "There is an uncertainty with the sales tax revenues (at the county level), our contingency account is lower and we have set forth a conservative budget this year."

The 2007-08 budget calls for no major equipment purchases. Surridge said the village purchased a refuse truck and a dump truck in the current budget. "We aren't looking at any major equipment purchases this year," she said. "In order to comply with regulations, we had to purchase the refuse truck last year."

The projected budget figures total $1,518,000 in revenues in the general fund; $482,000 in the water fund and $135,000 in the sewer. Expenses in the general fund are $2,185,000; $495,000 in the water and $135,000 in the sewer. The figures are approximately $190,000 less than the current year because of the equipment purchases in the 2006-07 plan. Based on the revenues and expenditures, the village has to raise $460,000 through taxes.

Some of the items budgeted for, Gursslin said, are $4,000 for a Main Street canopy purchase (located in the rear of three businesses; the village owns the canopy); vehicle repairs, dumpsters replacements; preventive maintenance of $80,000 for streets. "Last year we budgeted for $50,000 for slurry seal for the roads and this year we have $80,000 to help us maintain our maintenance schedule," he said.

In a press release, Gursslin wrote of the village's pending purchase of RG&E's streetlights - a cost of more than $150,000 - but one that will save the village in the long run. "It's an investment. Instead of paying $110,000 a year to RG&E for the streetlights, we will purchase them outright and save money over the long term," he said.

Gursslin explained that the village is unique in that there are no union contracts that need to be negotiated. "We are able to sit down with the employees, show them the budget and ask for help in keeping figures manageable," he said. "They understand what we are faced with and we were able to negotiate on healthcare plans and raises and came up with an $11,000 reduction healthcare benefit costs."

The budget must be approved and put into place by May 1.