Today's Lockport Union Sun and Journal features a lengthy front page story about taxes and the budget in Hartland. It begins as follows:
While its tax rate will remain the same, the town is joining the ranks of municipalities that are busting New York State’s 2-percent “tax cap” with their 2012 budgets.
The town board will vote Nov. 10 on a local law authorizing it to override the cap. The same night, it’ll hold a public hearing on the proposed 2012 town budget, which shows the tax levy rising by 7 percent.
The state tax cap law compels municipalities to publicize times when the annual tax levy — the amount of money raised from property taxes — is set to increase more than 2 percent. Municipalities can disregard the cap by enacting a local law, which has to go to a public hearing first.
In Hartland’s tentative $3.3 million budget, according to Acting Supervisor Ross Annable, the only way to get the levy increase under 2 percent is by cutting $58,000 in necessities — or niceties tied to town development.
The town board will vote Nov. 10 on a local law authorizing it to override the cap. The same night, it’ll hold a public hearing on the proposed 2012 town budget, which shows the tax levy rising by 7 percent.
The state tax cap law compels municipalities to publicize times when the annual tax levy — the amount of money raised from property taxes — is set to increase more than 2 percent. Municipalities can disregard the cap by enacting a local law, which has to go to a public hearing first.
In Hartland’s tentative $3.3 million budget, according to Acting Supervisor Ross Annable, the only way to get the levy increase under 2 percent is by cutting $58,000 in necessities — or niceties tied to town development.
Read the well-done article here:
http://lockportjournal.com/local/x783645233/Hartland-tax-levy-increases-rate-stays-the-same
