© 2024
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
An update has been released for the Android version of the WAMC App that addresses performance issues. Please check the Google Play Store to download and update to the latest version.

Colonie Budget: Vote Expected Tonight

Tax Credits/flickr

It's down to the wire for residents who'd like to weigh in on the 2019 Colonie town budget proposal.

A public hearing on the plan is scheduled for tonight, followed by an expected Town Board vote. Chris Carey is a Republican town councilor.   "We had a public hearing two weeks ago and that was to allow the town to go above the state tax cap. So there was some discussion at that meeting and then prior to the meeting we actually, the town received their sales tax revenue, and that number was actually larger than we anticipated. So that actually brought the percentage above the tax cap down to where it is now. The effect on an average family in the town is around $30."

Democratic Town Supervisor Paula Mahan expects her latest revised budget proposal, which hikes taxes from $3.72 to $3.90 per $1,000 of assessed value, will pass.    "We're looking at, for the median price home, 18 cents, 18 cent increase per thousand for our property taxes which includes our library as well. Just about everything other than the sewer and water in town are in our town property tax. For $3.90 per thousand, the residents are getting an awful lot."

An average household would pay a little more in annual taxes under the plan.   "The bottom line is, for the median-priced home in the Colonie it's gonna cost about $2.43 a month."

Mahan is cognizant of the fact that the budget plan raises taxes above the tax cap.   "If we did not exceed the tax cap by 10 cents per thousand, we would have to give up some positions and we'd have to sacrifice some public safety."

Mahan says the financial plan has been carefully crafted, with expenses trimmed where possible.   "Before putting the budget out and working with the budget committee since May, we cut at least $900,000 out of the budget that we felt comfortable we could live with."

After tonight's public hearing in Town Hall, the board is expected to vote on the spending plan.   "I think as far as the town board goes, you know altogether there are seven of us, and it's a mixed group, Democrats and Republicans. Six of us feel this is the responsible way to go."

First-term Republican councilwoman Jennifer Whalen is the lone dissenter. She suggests the town look for more opportunities to lower expenses.    "There's a newsletter that costs us $20,000 a year called 'The Chronicle.' I suggested that we put that on the website because every little bit counts. If we could get the budget down about $550.000 more we wouldn't exceed the tax cap. But anytime I propose something like let's not do 'The Chronicle' anymore, all of the achievements of this administration are trumpeted in this little Chronicle. Those are things that are in the Spotlight and featured in the Times union. We could put it on the website. 20, 25,000 doesn't seem like a lot when your budget is $95 Million, but every little bit counts when you're trying not to raise taxes on residents of Colonie."

The total tax increase would be 5.48 percent. The public hearing is set to begin at 7 p.m.

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
Related Content