Staff Report
The Daily Star
---- — The Oneonta Town Board has approved a 2013 budget that carries an increase in the tax levy for the highway fund but no rise in the levy for the general fund, the supervisor said.
For a homeowner with a property assessed at $100,000, next year’s tax bill for general and highway funds will increase about $5, Supervisor Robert Wood said Thursday.
“We think it’s a good budget that continues the town on a stable financial path,’’ he said.
The general fund budget of $1,203,466 is supported by a $260,718 levy, which is unchanged from this year, Wood said.
In the general fund, the board budgeted $60,000 toward the study of establishing a West Oneonta water and sewer district, Wood said, and a survey will determine residents’ interest in the project.
The highway fund of $1,080,847 has a levy of $766,530, which is up $15,031, Wood said. The tax rate of $1.57 per $1,000 of assessed value is up from $1.53.
Wood said the Oneonta Town Board increased highway department funding to keep up with projects and costs but stayed within the state-mandated 2 percent cap.
The tax levy for the Oneonta Fire District increased by $29,444, resulting in a rate of $2.18 per $1,000 of assessed value up from $2.09, Wood said. For a property assessed at $100,000, the bill will increase about $8, he said.
The West Oneonta Fire District levy decreased, resulting in a slight drop in the tax rate, he said.
The town board approved the budget Nov. 7, and tax bills will go out at the end of the year, Wood said.
