Hats off to the mayor and village board for their work on
formulating a budget for the coming year that calls for a
reasonable tax rate increase while maintaining services and
planning for capital improvements.
This is the second year Mayor Carol Waller has opened up
the process to include significant input from the trustees as
they examined revenues and expenditures in a line-by-line
review and it has worked well.
No one likes tax increases, but in the current economic
climate, three percent is an acceptable hike in the rate. For
many years, the village held the line on taxes. That unwritten
policy may have pleased taxpayers at the time, but the
board should have been putting away additional funds
in reserve accounts for capital projects that were on the
horizon. Small steady increases are easier on taxpayers in
the end than the rollercoaster ride of ups and downs that
can occur when municipalities are faced with unexpected
expenses.
Deputy Mayor Jeff Katz, who chairs the finance committee,
said the board wanted as minimal a tax increase as possible
for the tentative budget without dipping too deeply
into the surplus. Katz believes they reached that goal with a
three percent increase.
``I think the budget was a good balance. I think we did a
good job,’’ he said.
We agree.
Katz said that compared to some of the increases he has
seen in other municipal and school district budgets, the village
is in good shape.
``I think we are in good financial standing, but I’d like to
see increased revenues,’’ he said.
The proposed budget is still subject to change before it
is adopted by the board of trustees in late April. With new
Mayor Joe Booan taking office on Monday it is possible
there will be changes to the budget, but right now, the village
is on track.
