Town Board and Supervisor freeze their salaries; budget will exceed cap by about $150,000
Peru, NY, November 24, 2025 – On Wednesday, November 19, the Peru Town Board held a Special Meeting aimed at approving the final budget for 2026. Instead, the board, including the supervisor, voted to forgo their planned 3% salary increase. Although this decision is largely symbolic in the context of the town’s $2 million General Budget, the board wanted to convey a message of solidarity with taxpayers. In 2026, Town Board members will receive $9,639, while the Town Supervisor will earn $34,020.
Supervisor Craig Randall noted that the Final Budget will exceed the state-mandated 2% tax cap by approximately $150,000, mainly due to rising health insurance costs and necessary culvert repairs. Property owners in the water and sewer district will experience a slight tax decrease, as the town completed payment on a long-term bond this year. However, this reduction is expected to be temporary due to ongoing upgrades at both the wastewater treatment plant and planned upgrades at the water treatment plant.
The General Budget encompasses various expenses, including payments for the town board and supervisor, administrative support, the town clerk/tax collector, codes and zoning, youth programs, parks, town library, town court, and the highway superintendent’s, deputy superintendent’s salaries and more. The operating expenses for the Highway Department are accounted for in the highway department budget.
The tax rates for 2026 are as follows:
– Town General: $1.69/M, compared to $1.43/M in 2025.
– Town Highway: $1.80/M, compared to $1.73/M in 2025.
– Town Water #1, #2, #3: $0.86/M, compared to $1.03/M in 2025.
– Town Sewer #1: $1.54/M, compared to $1.97/M in 2025.
Although tax rates are steady or even lower, this can be misleading given the historical increases in assessed property values. The total taxable value of property in Peru rose from $641,811,736 last year to $662,288,572, reflecting an increase of about $20.5 million. The General Budget anticipates $1.2 million in property taxes, while the Highway Budget expects $1.297 million.
The board approved two minor budget changes at its November 24 meeting. They will be detailed in the Peru Gazette’s meeting story.
11/24/25 9:30 P.M. The Gazette described the General Budget in greater detail.
Posted: November 24th, 2025 under Adirondack Region News, General News, Northern NY News, Peru News, Town Board News.