The tax rate for property owners in the Village of West Winfield will increase significantly for the first time in many years.
The tax rate on the $715,396 budget will go to $11.96 per assessed $1,000, up from $8.10 per assessed $1,000. The $3.86 increase will result in an additional $386 for a property assessed at $100,000, or $193 for one assessed at $50,000.
The increase will raise an additional $103,000 for the village.
Mayor Jim Thomson said while some revenues are up and expenses down, the work done on Bisby Hall required borrowing. “It’s a substantial increase but Bisby cost $200,000,’’ he said at last week’s Village Board meeting. “We had to do something. It was unsafe.’’
During the short budget hearing, a question was asked about salaries for employees at the West Winfield Library. Thomson said the library handles those without village input.
Sales tax revenue is expected to increase $15,000. Salaries for the ambulance service should drop after hiring a second person and reducing overtime.
Salaries for employees of the Department of Public Works will increase 3 percent. A part-time office assistant, Claire Griffiths, was hired to help Village Clerk Scott Van Duren.
In the next 12 months the village will pay $53,000 for four borrowed funds, with the highest being a payment of $17,858 for the ambulance. Bisby Hall’s payment for 2022 will be $16,500.
This is also the first year for payment of the new fire truck at $11,666.
In addition, a rate increase to $5.50 for the water fund is proposed for October.
That will help cover the cost of replacing the wellhouse roof and updating the building,...
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