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COLONIE – The 2022 budget of $ 105.4 million proposed by Supervisor Paula Mahan – her 14th and last before retiring at the end of the year – would increase spending by 5.4% and taxes by 2.7% .
The $ 5.4 million increase in spending over this year’s budget is largely due to general increases for nearly all of the city’s workforce. It provides for salary increases that will be achieved through negotiations with the unionized workforce, which are expected to take place in 2022, and increases for appointed and elected officials as well.
The increase is also due to an increase in state-imposed pension costs, rising health and liability insurance costs and debt servicing, according to the budget narrative by Acting Comptroller Chris Kelsey.
The tax increase represents an increase of 12.3 cents for every $ 1,000 of assessed value. The tax rate associated with the Latham Water District would decrease by 0.2 cent for every $ 1,000 of assessed value. The cost of water will increase as will sewer charges.
All told, taxes and fees for the average home owner using an average amount of water and an average sewer use would increase by about $ 2.51 per month, or $ 30.12 per year.
The proposed budget plans to raise $ 949,188 through the tax increase. Other sources of revenue needed to cover the spike in spending include an 11.66% increase, or $ 3 million, in sales tax revenue, a 16.9% increase, or $ 652,800, in aid state and federal and a 2.48%, or $ 625,000, increase in fees for services.
Sales tax revenue, in particular, has been negatively affected by closures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic that took hold in March 2020.
“With the economic recovery to date in 2021, these revenues have rebounded and have enabled the city to recoup the losses of 2020 and prudently budget a growth rate of 2% from pre-pandemic levels,” according to Kelsey. “This growth rate is lower than the historic annual growth rate of the city’s sales tax of about 2.5%.”
The increase in “fees” is linked to a 5 cent increase in the cost of water for users in the Latham Water District. If city council approves the budget, water rates will increase to $ 3.70 per 1,000 gallons. The 1.4 percent increase will cost the owner of a home that uses an “average” amount of water of $ 3.75 per year, according to Kelsey.
Sewer rates will also increase by about 79 cents per month for the average user, depending on the proposed budget.
Wages and salaries would increase by almost 7%, from $ 40.9 million this year to $ 43.8 million in 2022. Employee benefits, such as pension and health insurance costs, would increase by 6% from $ 26.8 million to $ 28.8 million. Debt service would increase by almost 5%, from $ 12.2 million to $ 12.8 million.
“Salary increase estimates have been included for all of the city’s collective bargaining units, which are negotiating renewals of contracts that expired in December 2020,” according to Kelsey. “Debt service has increased due to necessary infrastructure improvements for roads, sewers and water systems. “
But it’s not just unionized workers and public servants who would get a raise. According to the proposed budget, appointed and elected officials would also see a salary increase:
- Supervisor, an elected position, would see a salary increase from $ 123,006 to $ 128,428
- The chief of police, an appointed position and the highest paid employee in town, would see his salary drop from $ 141,202 to $ 146,725.
- Each of the two deputy chiefs, appointed to positions, would see his salary increase from $ 133,715 to $ 138,753.
- Each of the six lieutenants appointed to positions would see their salary increase from $ 128,631 to $ 132,552
- The salary of the five members of the municipal council would drop from $ 21,479 to $ 22,347
- The salary of the deputy municipal overseer would drop from $ 21,918 to $ 22,804. The alternate is an elected member of the board of directors elected by the members of the board of directors to act in the place of the supervisor and to lead the meetings in the absence of the supervisor.
- Department of Public Works commissioner, appointed position, would see salary increase from $ 129,323 to $ 134,547
- Salary of court clerk would drop from $ 74,117 to $ 78,717
- The position of city comptroller, an appointed position, would increase from $ 117,566 to $ 122,315.
- The tax collector, an elected position, would see his salary increase from $ 95,370 to $ 99,224
- The municipal appraiser and purchasing manager, appointed to positions, would see their salaries drop from $ 102,588 to $ 106,733 each.
- City clerk, an elected position, would see his salary increase from $ 91,317 to $ 95,750
- The city attorney, an appointed position, would see an increase from $ 105,913 to $ 110,192.
- The director of human resources, an appointed position, would see his salary drop from $ 88,131 to $ 101,879.
- The position of Director of Management Information Services, an appointed position, would see an increase from $ 112,024 to $ 116,551.
- Senior Animal Control Officer, appointed position, would see salary increase from $ 57,807 to $ 65,958
- EMS chief, appointed post, would see salary increase from $ 111,082 to $ 116,551
- Pool maintenance attendant, an appointed position, would see his salary drop from $ 61,558 to $ 68,063
- Personnel officer, appointed position, would see salary increase from $ 83,936 to $ 97,030
- Director of Building Services, an appointed position, would see a salary increase from $ 101,291 to $ 105,346
- The director of the Department of Planning and Economic Development, an appointed position, would see a salary increase from $ 105,271 to $ 109,806
- The District Superintendent of Sewers, an appointed position, would see a salary increase from $ 111,100 to $ 116,551.
- The District Superintendent of Water, an appointed position, would see a salary increase from $ 112,024 to $ 116,551.
- The director of the library, an appointed position, would see a salary increase from $ 98,856 to $ 103,821.
This story will be updated.
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