Peru’s 2017 Tax Rates Stable
Gazette File Photo
Editor’s Note: The original story stated that the Confidential Secretary to the Supervisor will receive a $2,000 raise. The correct figure is $1,500.
By John T. Ryan
The Town of Peru 2017 Budget approved at a Thursday, November 17th Special Town Board meeting is under the NYS .68% tax cap. Taxpayers will see a small increase in the general budget tax rate and slight decreases in the highway, water and sewer rates. The owner of a property assessed at $155,000 (Peru’s average assessed value) will experience a slight decrease in taxes – $1,120.65 in 2017 vs. $1128.40 in 2016.
The Town’s General Budget tax rate will increase to $2.18/M of assessed value vs. $2.11 in 2016. The Highway Department Budget will decrease to $2.58/M from $2.62/M. Water District users will see a decrease from $2.30/M to $2.24/M and Sewer District #1 users will see their rate decline from $.26/M to .$23/M.
The General Budget includes the services such as the town board, the town clerk, town court, code enforcement, building maintenance and the highway superintendent’s salary. The 2017 General Budget totals $1,399,541 vs. $1,366,818 in 2016. The Highway Department Budget totals $1,641,745 vs. $1,631,918 in 2016. Staying under the tax cap has severely impacted town road paving. Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell would like to pave five of the town’s eighty-two highway miles each year. The budget will permit only three miles to be paved.
Town Supervisor Peter Glushko said dealing with an 8.7% health insurance increase and department requests for increased funding were the most challenging aspects of formulating the budget. The Board wanted to grant employees what they perceived as a just pay increase; however, that was complicated by ongoing negotiations with the unionized Highway Department employees. The Board voted to give most of the Town’s 37 employees a 1.5% pay increase. Highway Department employees will not receive any increase until a contract is negotiated.
There were other exceptions. Town Justices Larry Cabana and Jim Kirby decided to give their 1.5% increases to the Senior Court Clerk Holly Stone. Town Board members did likewise. They gave their 1.5% raises to Supervisor Peter Glushko. The Supervisor’s Confidential Secretary Pamela Barber was granted a $1,500 and Dog Control Officer David Drollette was granted $2,000 raise. Code Enforcement Officer Robert Guynup was will receive a $4,500 increase. Glushko said, “Bob Guynup is doing an outstanding job. When we hired him we promised him we would bring his salary up when we could.”
The Budget passed 4-1 with Counselor Donald McBrayer voting “No.” McBrayer told the Peru Gazette he is satisfied with the overall budget, but he believes a few other items should have been funded such as improving the tennis-pickleball courts, a pay increase greater than 1.5% for Youth Director John Flynn and increased funding for the Peru Free Library.
Elected Official 2017 Salaries:
Supervisor: $24,600.00 up from $23,805
Town Clerk/Tax Collector $24,289.00 up from $23,805
Highway Superintendent $56,105.00 up from $55,275
Town Board (4) $ 7,299.00 (No Increase)
Town Justices (2) $18,292.50 (No Increase)
Posted: November 18th, 2016 under General News, Northern NY News, Peru News, Peru/Regional History, Town Board News.