Most residents should expect small tax decrease
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

The Town of Amherst 2008 budget totals $115.8 million, with a total tax levy of $72.8 million. This graph shows how taxes will be used for the different town funds. Water district figures are not shown as taxes are not anticipated to be used in that fund. Supervisor Satish Mohan said the budget includes the first tax decrease in seven years.

The 2008 town budget is done, amounting to $115.8 million.

The Amherst Town Board adopted the official budget on Oct. 22 without knowing the final tally. Since that meeting the comptroller and supervisor have been totaling the budget as amended by Town Board resolutions.

The tax portion is $72.8 million, a decrease of 1.25 percent from 2007. Most residents will see a smaller tax bill, Comptroller Frank Belliotti said, but because of the various funds, the tax rate is not the same throughout the town.

"Funds could experience an increase or decrease, depending on areas in town," he said.

He elaborated, saying the 15 fire districts' taxes vary throughout the town, and areas of town undergoing sewer work will pay more for the sewer fund. That also applies to drainage work and other factors.

Revenues are estimated at $36.4 million, and $6.5 million from the fund balance, or surplus, will be used toward the 2008 budget. In the 2007 budget, $2.6 million from the fund balance was used.

The Erie County deadline for adopting town budgets was Nov. 20. Supervisor Satish Mohan said it was being sent on Tuesday.

The general fund, $54.67 million, requires a tax rate of $3.54 per $1,000 of assessed value, a decrease from the 2007 rate of $3.91. That total then changes based on which districts - fire, sewer, etc. - a resident lives in.

The Village of Williamsville tax rate is $5.84 per $1,000, a decrease from $6.18 in 2007.

Mohan said revenues need to be addressed in the future as they increased only .7 percent from 2007. He said the rise doesn't coincide with the appropriations' increase of 2 percent.

"The main reason for the 2 percent increase is personnel; it increased tremendously," Mohan said, estimating a rise of 4.3 percent since 2007.

Another change he commented on was the assessed value increasing only 1.2 percent, compared to 4.6 percent as in other years.

"We did not have many new buildings constructed, and we did not reassess," he said.

Mohan has prepared a budget letter and summary that will be posted on the town's Web site, www.amherst.ny.us .

In the summary, he mentions the slowing of revenue increases; from 2000 to 2005 it rose 25 percent, and from 2005 to 2007 it went up 8 percent. The .7 percent this past year had not happened in seven years.

"The town's property taxes will be reduced by 1.25 percent in 2008. This is a small step in the right direction, but a giant leap in the trend change. The property taxes since the year 2000 have been steadily increasing. During the five years from 2000 to 2005, the property taxes increased by 39.1 or 8 (percent) per year," Mohan said.