County budget carries small tax increase
BY MARY PERHAM THE LEADER

BATH - The 2007 tax levy for property owners in Steuben County will go up

2.3 percent overall, after Legislators adopted a $165 million budget last week night by a 14-1 vote.

While the levy went up compared to the current budget, the tax rate will decrease by roughly 4 percent, according to county Administrator Mark Alger.

The budget carries a levy of $41.4 million, about $1.9 million more than the current tax levy of $39.5 million.

Actual property taxes will depend on each municipality's equalization rates, set by the state to spread the levy across the county on an even basis.

L e g i s l a t o r Thomas McIntyre, C-Campbell, said he was unhappy with the budget because most department head increases had been combined into one proposal, preventing individual changes.

Nearly a dozen county residents weighed in on the budget during the public hearing, which took place before the final vote.

Several residents argued against any "performancebased" increases for some department heads. Other issues were the usefulness of non-profit agencies funded by the county, and the cost of the new voting equipment the county expects to buy in 2007.

Some residents supported more funding for road projects, and a number of local librarians showed up to lobby for a budget increase for the 17-member Southern Tier Library System.

Both programs received slight boosts in funding before the budget was passed.

Legislators approved 12-3 a proposed increase of $80,000 for more road treatments, by Chairman of the Public Works Committee Robert Nichols, R-Nichols. The earlier budget cut surface treatments by $160,000.

Nichols said road repairs have suffered in recent years, and that public safety depends on maintaining county roads.

P u b l i c Works Commissioner Vincent Spagnoletti estimated the increase in funds would treat an additional 8 miles of road next year.

Legislators Gary Swackhamer, R-Hornell, Patrick Donnelly, R-Bath, and Legislature Chairman Philip Roche, R-Erwin, voted against the increase in road repair.

Legislators voted unanimously in favor of a $15,000 increase for the STLS library program, increasing the system's budget from the proposed $75,000 up to $90,000.

STLS officials had requested a total of $118,000 next year, to bring the funding back to 2002 levels.

But Legislator Donald Creath, R-Corning City, said the original request was unrealistic and proposed the smaller hike in funding, which passed 15-0.

Swackhamer had originally opposed any increase for STLS, arguing it was unfair to residents who may already pay for library services through school or municipal taxes.

Swackhamer said he changed his mind and supported the small increase for next year because it was a reasonable amount.

"But next year we're going over the (STLS) budget with a fine tooth comb," Swackhamer said. "We're going to look at it very carefully."

The 2007 tax is significantly less than property owners have had in pay in more recent years. While the current budget meant an average increase of 3 percent for taxpayers, taxes from 2001-2005 amounted to more than 40 percent.