BUSTI - If the proposed 2012 Busti budget is passed by the town board later this year, town residents will be paying less in property taxes next year.
On Monday, Kathleen Sullivan, Busti supervisor, presented the proposed 2012 spending plan to the Busti Town Board. She said the proposed tax levy will be about 1 percent less than the 2011 budget. The proposed tax levy of $861,723 is a decrease of $5,952 from the 2011 town budget. The total of the budget would be $2,649,733 if the spending plan is passed. Ms. Sullivan told board members the proposed total budget is about 2.9 percent less than this year's. The tax rate would be $2.64 per $1,000 assessed property taxes if passed as presented. She said that would be 6 cents less than the 2011 town tax rate.
Ms. Sullivan asked board members to review the budget and any questions on the spending plan could be addressed during the board's next meeting Oct. 17.
In other town business, Diana Peterson, Busti-Lakewood Community Center director, reported to the board that a new recreation center agreement between the town and the village of Lakewood is needed by the end of the year. She said she attended a Lakewood Village Trustee meeting last month to discuss the recreation center's budget, which both the town and the village appropriate $15,000 a year. However, during the meeting Joseph Troche, village trustee, brought up his concern that the village is paying for half the recreation center's budget, but not receiving any money from the town for use of the court's facility, which is located in Anthony C. Caprino Municipal Building. According to Troche, the village pays all the bills associated with maintenance of the courts facility and the building, which is owned by the village.
Richard Sanders, Town councilman, said the town does pay for use of the courts facility through its contract for police services with the village. He said town and village officials should meet, though, to discuss this issue and other shared services.
Ms. Peterson also asked the board if she could buy a divider for the community center. She said with a divider, more groups that rent the community center for activities like playing the bridge could use the center at the same time. The board passed a resolution to allow Ms. Peterson to shop for a divider for the community center.
Ms. Peterson also asked the board if she could gather bids for a new furnace for the community center. The board passed a resolution for her to receive bids for a new furnace.