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Schenectady County headed for tax cap override

By Lauren Stanforth
Published 2:21 p.m., Wednesday, September 19, 2012


SCHENECTADY — The county is considering going over its property tax cap for the 2013 budget.

County Manager Kathleen Rooney is asking the Schenectady County Legislature to authorize a public hearing on a local law that would override the tax levy limit for 2013. The levy limit is a 2.95 percent increase. The legislature when it meets Thursday will likely schedule that hearing.

Albany County is also considering an override of the state tax cap, which starts at two percent. Last year, the County Legislature went over the cap and instituted an 8 percent tax levy increase. For most municipalities, the override requires a super majority of 60 percent of the governing body. School districts' overrides require approval by 60 percent of the voters.

Schenectady County Attorney Chris Gardner said he does not know what the proposed tax levy will be in Rooney's 2013 spending plan, which is due to legislators Oct. 1. He cited the impact of state pension costs, which have gone up $9 million since 2009, as a key factor in the tax hike.

Gardner said the $43.5 million nursing home project will not affect the 2013 budget because payments for the bonds will not start until 2014. He said he couldn't comment on if there will be layoffs or job cuts in the proposed budget.

At least 9 of the 15 legislators would have to pass the override. Considering that Schenectady County Democrats hold 13 of 15 seats, the measure is virtually certain to pass.

Republican Legislator James Buhrmaster said he supports a public hearing on a cap override, but he would never vote for the actual measure. He said ruling Democrats propose tax increases only during non-election years, and that "they want to get this done and out of the way" before seven seats are up for election in fall 2013.

Schenectady County imposed a nearly 13 percent increase in the levy in 2009, reduced it in 2010 and 2011, and put in a 1.5 percent increase for 2012.

"If we had raised taxes a lot more in the past, we wouldn't have to consider this," Gardner said. "But I think that we can only deal with the situation as it is right now."


Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/loca.....52.php#ixzz26wSoyitV

Quoted from SueM2342

Pension costs are the reason??????


There are EXEMPT from the fax cap

Wow

Quoted from TakingItBack

Again,  they couldnt see this coming?  These things are one of the expenses to project.  Politics.  

Whatever, they wiill have their increase and they will still be much lower than a city resident.