POUGHKEEPSIE – The City of Poughkeepsie’s tax levy will rise under Mayor Robert Rolison’s proposed 2018 budget by 1.8 percent, a contrast from the 16.5 percent increase this year. Sewer rates will decline by 10 percent.
The mayor released details of his $84.5 million spending plan on Tuesday, which is a decrease from the 2017 budget of $85.1 million. Next year’s budget will stay within the state tax cap.
The budget includes a new weekend shift at public works, adds a second sanitation inspector, and brings back the position of city planner, which was eliminated in 2012, noted Rolison.
Funding for that job will come from the $3 million the state provided to the city recently, $1 million of that being earmarked for economic development. The city has been using the services of Dutchess County’s planning department for almost the last two years and Rolison said it will continue to partner with the county.
The mayor said his administration has “achieved our first order of business, which was to stabilize the city’s finances and address the most critical problems our local government faced when I was elected mayor,” Rolison said. “With this, my second budget, we will turn our full attention towards the many quality-of-life issues in our community, from blight and basic cleanliness, to your services and public safety.”
Two firefighter positions, which could have been lost with a cutback in federal funds, will be retained in the budget as will all 96 police officer positions.
Some city council members praised the budget proposal when Rolison released some details during Monday night’s council meeting.
