CATTARAUGUS COUNTY
Proposed 2010 budget includes rise in tax levy
Administrator’s plan raises full-value rate
LITTLE VALLEY—Cattaraugus County Administrator Jack R. Searles is proposing a 2010 tentative budget of $212 million, up 4.2 percent, which contains a 7.12 percent tax levy increase and a 4.82 percent boost in the full-value tax rate.
During a presentation Wednesday in the County Center, Searles told legislators the full-value tax rate will rise from $12.06 to $12.64.
The new projected tax levy is $47,975,000.
In the City of Olean, the tax rate per $1,000 of assessed value will be $12.65, down from $154.30 due to reassessments.
In the City of Salamanca the rate will rise to $65.32, up from $60.77.
Projected tax rates in some towns are: Allegany, $12.64, up from $12.06; Franklinville, $16.43, from $14.90; Great Valley, $552.38, from $527.19; Persia, $16.64 from $15.08; and Randolph, $13.59 from $12.43. Most other increases are less than 10 percent.
Revenues for next year are projected at $164,112,000, up from $159,109,000. Included is $5,097,567, a total from various surplus accounts, up from $3,234,364 this year. Searles anticipated the Social Services budget will increase by $293,221. And so he has transferred $1.5 million from Social Services to budgets for the county’s two nursing homes.
Money will be matched by the federal government, Searles estimated, due to temporary changes in the Federal Medical Assistant Percentage program and deposited in accounts for the nursing homes.
The end result, Searles said, of combining the county’s $1.5 million and the federal $2.4 million will be $3.9 million for nursing home operations.
As a result, Searles said. “The two nursing homes—in Machias and Olean—will effectively come off the tax levy and are not subsidized by the county” next year and into the future.
Without the financial transfer Searles said budgets to operate the two homes would directly impact the tax levy.
Other areas of the tentative budget were also discussed by Searles.
The Medicaid program remains capped by the state and the county’s share is $15.9 million next year, up nearly $300,000, and directly impacts the tax levy.
The maintenance for roads, bridges and snow removal will be provided with funding of $18 million.
Next year will be the third year of a five-year equipment replacement plan for public works and refuse equipment and $1.5 million is included for replacements.
In upcoming weeks, Searles will present legislators with a capital borrowing plan to replace roads, bridges and culverts. Also included will be the county’s share toward roads damaged in August due to flooding. About a third of the total roads maintained by the county received some damage. A 12.5 percent local share is needed to access money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to make repairs.
Budget reviews by legislators begin Monday afternoon and continue through Nov. 24, when adoption will be considered.
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