Few residents offered up suggestions regarding Bethlehem’s preliminary spending plan for 2013 at a recent public hearing.
Only four people gave their opinions on next year’s proposed budget before the Town Board meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 24. Most of those who spoke were connected to the town’s political scene.
Town officials are projecting a $3.5 million budget gap, and the preliminary budget proposed by Supervisor John Clarkson calls for a nearly 8 percent tax hike and the loss of 16 staff positions through attrition. No layoffs are being proposed. The proposed $37.9 million budget includes a 1.8 percent decrease in spending from 2012.
Cuts include reducing operation days at the compost facility and transfer station, reducing staff hours for Parks and Recreation Department staff and increasing field fees to offset maintenance costs. The town’s Planning Board would also be cut from seven members to five and the town would expand the Lockbox service used to collect taxes. Those cuts would save roughly $108,000.
The town may also cease funding the Colonial Acres Golf Course to save $40,000 next year, though capital projects totaling $270,000 are also scheduled at the course.
Former Supervisor Sam Messina said he thought tough but honest decisions were being made on the budget, but he did not feel it was necessary to close the golf course because less than 1 percent of the budget would be saved. He also felt the $270,000 in projected capital spending for the future may not be warranted.
“Bethlehem is different because of its services and because of its diversity, and Colonial Acres is part of that,” Messina said, adding it is a good investment for both the town’s younger residents and seniors.
Messina asked for the golf course to be put back into the budget and for residents to be placed onto an advisory board that would examine options for the future. The idea was proposed several years ago but never gained traction.
Smolinsky said the town operated with a five-member planning board for a number of years, but its size was increased because several members lived in Florida part time and there were at times not enough members to create a quorum. Now that is not the case, and Smolinsky said a five-member board would work fine if those appointed are qualified.
Resident Jared King suggested the Town Board vote to opt out of the state pension system and then change the town’s retirement plan to something more cost effective.
“I want the town council and residents to know this would solve our current operational and financial difficulties and would solve them for the future … and we would not have to set aside $1.5 million while we kick the can for future town supervisors to address after three years,” he said.
King also questioned the number of unused police cars and the need for police officers at town meetings.
No changes have been made to the proposed budget since it was presented in September, but board members have the opportunity to pitch changes in the coming weeks. A budget adoption is scheduled for Nov. 14.
In a later interview, Councilman Jeffrey Kuhn said he agrees with the proposed spending plan and has no changes to suggest at this point.
“We find ourselves facing very difficult decisions budgetarily,” he said. “I think that the supervisor has tried to take a very balanced approach in solving these problems. We can’t simply cut our way out without cutting core services that contribute critically to the quality of life in the town.”
Councilman Kyle Kotary felt otherwise.
Kotary said he felt there were “good, bad and ugly” aspects in the proposal. He commended Clarkson’s staff on cutting costs and implementing a capital spending plan, but felt asking residents for such a large tax increase was unfair. Sewer and water fees are also scheduled to rise by 6 percent in addition to the property tax hike.
“The notion that you have to have a tax increase in order to accommodate certain choices is a false premise,” Kotary said. “The budget should work within how much revenue we have and the level at which taxes should be. The governor implemented a 2 percent cap for a reason.”
Although Bethlehem’s proposed budget calls for an 8 percent tax increase, it does fall within the tax cap because the formula takes into account the loss of Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreements. The town could raise taxes by as much as 23 percent and stay under the tax cap.
Kotary said he plans to ask for a 10 percent reduction from the $14.2 million in proposed capital expenditures. That could potentially save $1.42 million from operational and capital reserves.
To further cut spending, Kotary suggested an additional reduction from the Human Resources and Management of Information Services Departments, and said the Supervisor should take a pay cut of $80,000 from his salary, as Clarkson also collects a state pension as a retiree.
“If he doesn’t double dip, we could cut taxes by 1 percent,” Kotary said.
Another public hearing will take place before the budget is accepted.