Budget Prelude

(Intended opening budget remarks)

I began reviewing the Preliminary budget that was posted on line line by line but I’m going to move on to more general comments because…

Page 1 Town Board Major Subtotal indicates a 28.879% overall decline from ’08 Adopted to ’09 Prelim. I believe that is incorrect. That is based on town board salaries of $15,000 each thus increasing the ’08 major subtotal by $20,000. The correct ’08 subtotal s/b $46,900 which yields an approx 1% increase in comparison.

Based on the fact that the very first line in the 62 page document was inaccurate, it didn’t seem very productive to continue examination.

I’ll make a few observations nonetheless, which I will address further in my prepared comments:

TB Conf = 750
TB Subscriptions = 450
Supvr Conf = 350
Supvr membership dues = 600
Compt Conf = 2230
Compt membership dues = 100
Tax membership dues = 50
ASR Conf = 1500
ASR membership dues = 400

Town Justice Office Supplies = 7750 3% increase
Supvr Office Supplies = 4000
Compt Office Supplies = 2500 11.1% increase
Tax Office Supplies = 700

Supvr Office salaries for various positions 24.04% increase
Tax Collection salaries avg 6% increase
ASR salary reflects 5% increase

Telephone services for all these areas reflect increased expenditure too which I’m wondering if is a one time increase for installation of new system?

Overall legal services show nearly a 15% increase
Overall Supvr Office shows 20.6% increase
Overall Compt Office shows nearly 6% increase
Overall Tax Collection Office shows nearly 6% increase
Overall ASR Office shows roughly a 37% increase

ALL of this contained on the first 3 pages!