Washington Town Board adopts 2022 budget

WASHINGTON — The Washington Town Board passed its 2022 budget on Thursday, Nov. 4, after holding the requisite public hearing on the fiscal plan. Town Supervisor Gary Ciferri, along with Councilmembers Stephen Turletes, Michael Murphy, Robert Audia and Joe Rochfort voted in favor of the budget, which was posted online that day at www.washingtonny.org.

Some tax rates were up slightly from this year’s 2021 budget. The 2022 town budget went up 1.97% from 1.95% in 2021.

The fire line went up .49% from .48% in 2021.

The village’s budget line went down a hair, from .86% in 2021 to .85% in 2022.

The library budget line remains the same at .16%.

Assessments increased throughout the community, In the village of Millbrook, they went from a grand value of $214,726,908 to $216,830,294 in the 2022 budget.

In the Town of Washington, outside of the village, property assessments went from $960,206,247 in 2021 to $968,916,562 in 2022.

Townwide, which includes all properties, assessments rose from $174,993,155 in 2021 to $1,185,746,856 in 2022.

The 2022 budget line for the Millbrook fire department was listed at $1,174,933,155 in 2021; for the 2022 budget it’s listed at $1,179,201,606. The multiplier in both 2021 and 2022 was 18.

Fund balances

For the General A Fund, appropriations are listed at $1,521,934. For the revenue line, it’s listed at $461,900.The Fund Balance is listed at $58,000. The tax levy is listed at $1,002,034.

For the General B Fund, appropriations are listed at $411,517. For the revenue line, it’s listed at $316,179. For the Fund Balance line, it’s listed at $85,000.    

The Highway DB Fund listed appropriations at $1,511,891. It listed revenues at $256,100. Its Fund Balance is listed at $175,000. Its tax levy is listed at $1,080,791.

The Fire District FS Fund lists appropriations at $577,833.

The 2022 Town of Washington Budget Totals are as follows: Appropriations come to $4,207,175; Revenues come to $1,034,170; the Fund Balance comes to $318,00; the Tax Levy comes to $2,855,005.

Salaries and stipends

Stipends for Town Board members increased from $4,777.14 per year to 4,920.46 annually. The town supervisor’s salary increased from $19,107.53 to $19,680.76, while the deputy supervisor’s pay increased to $6,151,20.

The town clerk earned $65,649.11 last year; this year she’ll receive $67,619.58.

The bookkeeper in 2022 will earn $52,451.90, an increase of $13,461.20.

The town justices will each receive $17,421,57.

The town assessor will earn $51,305.12 and the assessor’s clerk and assessor’s aide will each earn $18.54 per hour.

The highway superintendent will earn $65,649.11, the same as this year.

The animal control officer will earn $11,808.88 and the recreation department director will earn $60,000.

All of the above salaries will be taken out of the A Fund.

Total B Fund salaries, which include two part-time constables, the building inspector, three waste attendants, one safety inspector and a part-time (as needed) Zoning Board secretary,  amount to $94,589.57.

The total amount of salaries for the B Fund amounted to nearly $8,100 less than in 2021.

The total amount of salaries requested for the Highway Department was $438,955.92, an increase of nearly $9,500 more than what was paid in 2021.

Tax rates

For 2022, the Tax Rates come to the following: In the Village of Millbrook, the tax rate will be .85%; for the Town of Washington, outside the village, it will be 1.97%; the fire taxes will be .49%; and  the library taxes will be .26%.

The tax levy in 2022 comes to $2,855,005, versus the 2021 tax levy, which was $2,802,942, a difference of an increase of 0.0186%.