Bath trustees approve $3.7 million budget
By ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

BATH - It took a minute Thursday for Bath village board members to pass unanimously a $3.7 million budget that will increase the village tax rate by six percent, from $17.96 per $1,000 of assessed value to $19.04 per $1,000.

Village trustees approved the 2007-08 spending plan following a short public hearing attended by four visitors, none of whom offered any comment regarding the budget.

Trustees began funding deliberations about two months ago, facing a preliminary budget that projected a double digit increase in the tax levy. Since then, officials whittled overall appropriations to their $3.7 million level, trimming funding requests from the police and streets department for a new patrol vehicle and additional blacktop supplies.

Trustees also elected to finance $130,000 in capital expenses through a bond or a bond anticipation note. The issue will pay for new police radio equipment ($50,000) and a backhoe ($78,000).

The new budget goes into effect June 1.

Separately, the village board will hold a reorganizational meeting April 2 that will include the swearing in of new board members. Democrats Tom Sears and Donna Simonson will join Trustees Mike Skelly and Jeane Glass, who were elected to the board last year.