Brockport prepares for budget hearings

Brockport prepares for budget hearings

A budget is more than just taxes, expenses and revenues, Brockport Village Manager Ian Coyle said. "We provide a lot of services that allow for a high quality of life and we - as village officials - work every day to provide for those services."

The proposed budget for 2007-08, Coyle says, provides for the services that residents have come to expect while keeping the tax rate level.

"The budget this year comes without a tax rate increase," Coyle said. "This is the first year in a while that we have held the rate constant."

The rate for 2007-08 will be $9.83 per $1,000 of assessed value. "We had a good year, revenue and expense-wise, and we are using some of that 'surplus' from 2006 to fund the 2007 budget."

The village's workmen's compensation costs are down considerably because of the village's participation in the county-wide consortium, general insurance costs are down, savings were realized during CSEA employee contract negotiations and retirement system pension plan contributions were lower. "We've also been bidding out and analyzing all of the smaller costs centers inside the village - from utility costs to telephone costs, we've been able to realize some savings in a lot of different areas," he said.

A potential threat on the horizon could be the sales tax revenue intercept plan County Executive Maggie Brooks has spoken about. "The plan has been proposed in varying degrees and if the county didn't hold the municipalities harmless in the intercept, it could be a significant impact to our budget," Coyle said. The village realizes $1.3 million in sales tax revenues.

Total appropriations, revenue, and the amount to be raised by taxes for 2007 are: $4,796,680, $4,674,084 and $1,751,086. In the current budget year, the total appropriations are $4,853,920, revenues are $4,786,935 and amount raised by taxes is $1,763,275. The tax rate remains stable at $9.83 and water rates will remain stable as well.

"The 2007-08 budget lowers the tax levy and holds the line on the tax and water rates," Coyle said. "It's a good working plan and financial document for the upcoming year. A goal is to use some of the surplus from this year to help balance the budget for next year while continuing to search for new efficiencies."

The budget addresses "Better Brockport" initiatives which address the quality of life issues, improve parks, streets and infrastructure. The village is planning to do road work on eight streets within the village. "We also still plan to fund the typical summer and community events that have been part of our past budget figures," he said.

The village is also looking at the possibility of three new subdivisions which will add assessed value once they are complete.

"I can't thank the department heads enough for their help in this process. I asked them to come in at, or under, the expense levels of the current year and they all did," Coyle said. "We hope we can replicate the same stable budget as we move forward."

The village will hold a public hearing on March 19 at 7 p.m. on the proposed budget. Coyle is also hosting several informal budget meetings in the village conference room, 49 State Street, Friday, March 9 at 8 a.m., Wednesday, March 14 at 4:30 p.m. and Friday, March 16 at noon. Copies of the tentative budget are available at the village office and on the village website.