Tax levy in LeRay to increase 6.4 percent

EVANS MILLS — The LeRay Town Council passed the 2010 town budget Thursday that brings with it a hike in the property tax levy.

The levy will increase 6.4 percent, from $662,614 in 2009 to $705,072 in 2010. An increase in the value of taxable property in the town means the tax rate will remain steady at $1.61 per $1,000 of assessed value. The tax on a $100,000 house will remain at $161.

Total spending will rise about 10.9 percent, from $1,598,855 in 2009 to $1,773,269 in 2010.

General fund appropriations are up 4.5 percent, from $932,755 to $974,469. Budgeted expenditures by the highway department will increase from $666,100 to $798,800, a jump of about 19.9 percent. That increase will help pay for a new snowplow, said Steven T. Harter, administrative clerk to Supervisor Ronald C. Taylor.

The town has about $1.6 million in general fund reserves, of which $292,154 will be applied to the 2010 general fund budget. Of the remaining reserves, $29,558 will be used to cover retirement costs and $201,193 will be dedicated to the building fund.

The highway department has reserves of $19,580 dedicated to retirement contributions.

The Calcium and Evans Mills fire districts passed their budgets in late October.

Calcium Fire District residents will see a hike in the levy from $215,570 in 2009 to $221,500 in 2010, an increase of about 2.75 percent.The tax rate in the district will decrease slightly, from $1.83 to $1.79 per $1,000 of assessed value.

In the Evans Mills Fire District, the levy will increase while the tax rate drops slightly. The levy will rise from $240,700 in 2009 to $242,500 in 2010, an increase of less than 1 percent. The tax rate will drop in 2010 to $1.83 per $1,000 of assessed value from 2009's $1.87.