Spencerport adopts budget, residents to see increase

Village of Spencerport officials adopted the 2005-2006 spending plan at their pubic hearing on April 6.

Mayor Ted Walker said only a handful of people turned out for the public hearing and the budget was adopted unanimously by board members.

"It was a good budget process," Walker said. "This was the first year our treasurer had been through the budget process and it went very well."

In the newly adopted budget, village taxpayers will see a tax rate of $2.70 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. The tax rate is a 45 cent increase over the prior year. The sewer user fee will be $235 annually, up $35. Fees for electric use will stay the same.

Walker said taxpayers with a home assessed at $100,000 would see an increase of $45 per year. The money raised from taxes only accounts for 22 percent of the overall budget revenue that the village receives, Walker said.

The village budget comes in at just a little over $5.7 million and includes $2,041,262 for the general fund, up $340,00; $902,822 for the sewer fund; and $2,810,851 for the electric fund. The 2004-2005 general fund was $1,701,247; sewer was $850,697; and the electric, Walker said, stays constant.

Many of the figures in the budget are for items that are continuing throughout the village as part of its long-term planning as well as for the new road replacement project.

The streets capital upgrade program is the most significant addition to the budget, Walker explained. "The upgrades that are starting on Coleman, Coolidge and Barrett streets are included in the budget," he said.

Continuing items include: village street maintenance, sidewalk improvements, street tree maintenance and replacement, replacing light pole banners, continuing the Pathways to the Past program, as well as community events such as Christmas on the Canal and the summer music in the gazebo series.

Built into the budget are equipment replacement line items. The village is planning to replace one six-wheel dump truck and a Bobcat. There will be small upgrades to the village office and new ceilings will be put into the restrooms. Also, at the department of public works building, Walker said water lines will be installed.

Spencerport is also dealing with ever increasing health insurance premiums - 30 percent this year alone. The biggest ticket items for the village are the street capital program and taking the sewer plant off line, according to officials.