Village adopts budget with 3 % tax hike

New Granville Mayor Brian LaRose kicked off his first year in office by joining the other village board members in passing a budget which will increase taxes while maintaining services.

The $1.31 million budget includes a 3.13 percent tax increase on a tax levy of $968,370.

The village tax rate will be $8.92 per $1,000 of assessed value, down from $11.16 in 2010.

The change in tax rate was driven by the village’s valuation which moved from 78 percent in 2009 to 100 percent in 2010.

The higher tax rate was needed to raise nearly the same amount of money when the value of the village was lower, officials said.

No services village residents have come to expect from brush and leaf pickup, sidewalk plowing or street clean up were cut to maintain the budget, LaRose said.  

Hearing no comment from the public during the budget hearing, held at the opening of the meeting, the board voted to pass the 2011 spending plan 4-1, with trustee Frank Caruso voting against the budget. Caruso said he voted against the plan because it contained a tax increase.

“It’s a good budget. We’ve managed to maintain all of the services and keep any tax increases at a manageable level,” LaRose said.

LaRose said the valuation of the village is expected to decrease as current figures become available for next year, likely creating a deficit for the village for the following budget year of 2012.  

While the tax rate is down from 2010 to 2011, the amount of money to be raised from taxes rose slightly due to increases municipalities face from increasing health insurance costs to funding retirement plans as well as increases in heating oil and diesel fuel.

In a cost saving move the village replace one department of public works employee position, which had been a full time 40-hour position with benefits to a 30 hour position without benefits.

As a part of the organizational meeting numerous positions within the village were reinstated including village clerk, deputy clerk, acting village judge, court clerk and local ordinance officer.

Leaf and brush pick-ups have been scheduled to start April 18 an continue on Mondays through May 23; residents are asked to rake leaves into the street in piled or bagged in clear plastic bags and section of branches must be no longer than four feet for pick up.  

The village board approved funding for the annual fireworks show which has been scheduled for June 30. The fireworks show is a joint effort between the town and village boards; the show will take place following a summer concert, launching from the Granville Little League.