MIDDLETOWN – The 2017 budget for the City of Middletown was adopted by the Board of Estimate with a tax levy increase of 0.39 percent. That is a little more than half of the 0.63 percent tax cap set by the state. The combined water and sewer rate will increase by only 1.52 percent.
The spending plan comes in only $263,569 more than this year’s. The 2017 budget is under $38.3 million, compared to the 2016 spending plan of $38.1 million.
The 2017 budget uses $154,000 in fund balance transfer and $400,000 transfer from the city’s debt service budget.
Mayor Joseph DeStefano termed it a “conservative” fiscal
plan, but there needs to be change on the state level.
“The budget operation is not sustainable the way it is for many, many years to come unless there is some relief,” DeStefano said. I know the New York Conference of Mayors has been lobbying very hard for either an increase in aid or a two percent tax cap to become a two percent than a 0.63 percent with the mandates that come out of Albany.”
Three additional police officers will be added next year thanks to a federal grant that will cover the costs.
The next step in the approval process is for the common council to conduct a public hearing and then adopt the spending plan in December.
