The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

The Peru Town Council unanimously approved the Town’s 2016 budget at its Monday, November 19, 2015 meeting. Town Supervisor Peter Glushko said the tax levy increase is under the state mandated 0.72 percent tax levy cap. The 2016 tax levy will total $2,321,663, an increase of $65,405 from 2015. Combined town general and highway tax rates will rise from $4.61/M to $4.73 (2.6%). Glushko said, “Staying below the tax levy cap was difficult, especially when we’re running a deficit this year in the highway budget.” Glushko said no major projects are planned during the coming year.Preliminary/Final Budget Attached

The Highway Department is budgeted for $1,631,918 in 2016. Its tax rate will rise from $2.54/M to $2.62/M. Over the past three years salt/sand budgeted expenses have risen from $75,000 to $120,000. Snow removal and road treatment cost taxpayers almost $280,000 annually. Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell said, Salt prices have increased $10 a ton. Farrell has also had to curtail highway repaving the Town’s 81.5 miles of highways. “I’d like to get back to paving five miles a year, but we won’t know asphalt prices until April.”  A second asphalt supplier should be operating soon which might result in more competition and lower prices. Farrell was able to pave only about two miles this year.

Town Counselors will not enjoy a pay increase; however, other town employees will receive a 0.5% pay raise. Glushko said counselors favored the pay increase because employee heath insurance expenses would increase by as much as 12.8% if employees maintained the same coverage they have this year. After working with the town’s insurance consultant, the Board is offering less expensive plans to employees. The Town budgeted $181,185 for 2016 current and retired employee health insurance.

The Town’s general budget totals $1,366,818. The general tax rate will rise from $2.07/M to $2.11/M. General budget items include such items as town court, zoning, planning, youth, town clerk, historian, town council, assessor, town hall utilities, data processing, parks and cemeteries and even the highway superintendent’s salary.