Clinton County legislators will hear from the public tonight on the 2017 budget plan.
The tentative 2017 budget will be finalized by county legislators next week. But first they will hold a public hearing on the $165 million plan. If approved as currently presented, the gross tax rate will be $5.93 per $1,000 of assessed value. Clinton County Administrator and Budget officer Mike Zurlo says since the printing of the tentative budget, two favorable adjustments were made. “We finally got the results of open enrollment and final health insurance rates. The net result was an additional reduction. The tax levy for the county, the amount we raise in taxes, will be an increase this year of point-three-five percent, so less than half of a percent on the tax levy. The resulting gross composite tax rate for 2017 would be $5.93 or a reduction in tax rate of 4-cents per $1,000 of assessed value.”
While there was good news as the budget was crafted, Zurlo also dealt with sales tax revenues that did not meet projections. “It is our largest revenue source even exceeding our tax levy. So sales tax is important. We did not meet projections in 2015. It is unlikely we will meet projections 2016. As such, in consultation with the treasurer, we have decided to take a little bit more conservative approach and reduce the amount of sales tax by $800,000. Now we split sales tax with the municipalities. So $590,000 of that is a direct loss to this county budget and $210,000 spread out through all the other municipalities in the county is a reduction there.”
The proposed budget is balanced and under the tax cap. Clinton County Legislative Chair Harry McManus does not expect any controversy as it is discussed at the public hearing. “It’s the meticulousness that we go through in terms of process. This is my ninth year. We again have maintained a budget under rather stressful times. And of course we had to modify in the next budget our projections for our county sales tax. I like the position we’re in. I like the fiscal responsibility that the Legislature puts forth in terms of having money in tax stabilization funding and so on that allows us to be able to not deplete our surpluses and still maintain a stable tax rate.”
McManus adds that he remains concerned about some items, including gas prices that lower sales tax revenues and unfunded mandates. “Medicaid has seemed to have gotten under control. The state has done some work in that. There are other unfunded mandates. We’re always down in Albany lobbying against these things. But I think the primary difference between 2016 and 2017 is the fact the projections we had for 2016 were not met. You know when you have gas at half what it was four years ago that’s a significant loss to the county. So with the fact that we have lowered expectations for next year I’m hopeful that we’ll have a better year and you know you’ve got the Canadian dollar, I mean you have so many multiple factors here that impact spending in Clinton County. But I like the position we’re in right now. I think it’s fiscally responsible.”
The proposed 2017 budget can be viewed at the county legislative office in the Clinton County Government Center. The public hearing will begin at 7 p.m. in the Legislative chambers.
County legislators will finalize the 2017 budget during their December 14th meeting.
