Bath set to pass $3.7M budget
By ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

BATH - Village trustees will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. March 29 to review a $3.7 million budget that increases the tax levy by 5.7 percent. Board members will convene a special meeting following the hearing to vote on the spending plan.

The village clerk's office said the tentative budget will increase the village tax rate to $19.04 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, up from $17.96 per $1,000 last year. The new rate will mean a tax bill of $1,142 for a house assessed at $60,000.

The revised budget reduces appropriations requested from the police department and the streets department for a new patrol vehicle and blacktop supplies respectively. The board will save $5,000 with the substitution of a police sedan for a SUV, while it trimmed $20,000 from Street Supervisor Jeff Muller's request for $75,000 in additional funds for blacktop supplies.

Board members earlier agreed to cut nearly $130,000 in one-time capital expenses, electing to finance the purchase of new police radio equipment ($50,000) and a backhoe ($78,000) with a bond. Payments for the big ticket items will not begin until the following budget year.

Board members are to meet at a future date with financial consultants to review details of the bond issue.