Hamlin approves budget

Hamlin approves budget

The Hamlin Town Board unanimously passed the 2008 budget at a special town board meeting following the Budget Public Hearing on October 29.

The budget results in a tax rate of $6.44 per $1,000 of assessed value or a 2.7 percent increase over the 2007 budget.

Noteworthy increases are in areas which will most benefit the residents, Town Supervisor Dennis Roach wrote in a press release. These include the hiring of another library clerk, extended library hours and the acquisition of additional materials for public use; monies for a restroom/shelter building at the Town Park; additional playground and recreation programs; programs for seniors; and increased support to Hamlin ambulance. Increases in the highway department budget reflect the ever-increasing costs of salt, petroleum-based materials and highway equipment.

During the public hearing, Roach said he explained how the tax levy was determined and how the taxable assessed value of the town is used to determine the tax rate. Of interest, is the town's 47-percent equalization rate, which makes the tax rate appear higher than towns with a 100-percent valuation rate. He explained, "If the town had maintained the 100-percent assessed value, the tax rate would be $3.03 per $1,000 of assessed value. However, each property owner's total town tax bill would remain the same." Roach wrote how critical it was that County Executive Maggie Brooks' F.A.I.R. plan be implemented in order to maintain the town's share of the sales tax distribution. "The county sales tax distribution comprises over 16 percent of the town's revenues," he wrote. "The worst case would be the loss of the entire sales tax distribution, which could result in a tax increase of over 32 percent."