Hartland budget has 10.1% hike in tax rate
By Teresa Sharp
Under the 2008 spending plan adopted Thursday by the Hartland Town Board, taxpayers will see a 46-cent tax rate hike per $1,000 of assessed valuation next year — the largest increase the town has seen in the 29 years Supervisor William Annable has been in office.
The hike translates into a 10.1 percent increase in the tax rate.
In Hartland, taxes will rise from the current $4.57 to $5.03 per $1,000 of assessed valuation in the town’s $2.7 million budget, Annable said, for a variety of reasons.
“We’ve been trying to update our water system and install automatic meters so we don’t have to go out and read them,” he said, “and that raised the water district tax from $1.80 to $2.20 per $1,000.”
It’s a one-time increase, Annable said, “and that was one of the biggest reasons for the hike.”
The supervisor said he was disappointed in the rate, “but I ran the numbers several times, and this is what I came up with.
“Maybe we should have done this in small increments over time instead of a big increase like this,” he said.
The town cut taxes 21 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation last year.
“I call this a bare-bones budget,” Annable said. “It doesn’t get any easier. There’s no place to get extra money from.”
The board unanimously approved the budget, which also includes a 3 percent, across-the board pay increase for town employees.
By Teresa Sharp
Under the 2008 spending plan adopted Thursday by the Hartland Town Board, taxpayers will see a 46-cent tax rate hike per $1,000 of assessed valuation next year — the largest increase the town has seen in the 29 years Supervisor William Annable has been in office.
The hike translates into a 10.1 percent increase in the tax rate.
In Hartland, taxes will rise from the current $4.57 to $5.03 per $1,000 of assessed valuation in the town’s $2.7 million budget, Annable said, for a variety of reasons.
“We’ve been trying to update our water system and install automatic meters so we don’t have to go out and read them,” he said, “and that raised the water district tax from $1.80 to $2.20 per $1,000.”
It’s a one-time increase, Annable said, “and that was one of the biggest reasons for the hike.”
The supervisor said he was disappointed in the rate, “but I ran the numbers several times, and this is what I came up with.
“Maybe we should have done this in small increments over time instead of a big increase like this,” he said.
The town cut taxes 21 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation last year.
“I call this a bare-bones budget,” Annable said. “It doesn’t get any easier. There’s no place to get extra money from.”
The board unanimously approved the budget, which also includes a 3 percent, across-the board pay increase for town employees.
