Bayville's new budget hikes property tax

Bayville property tax bills will jump 20 percent next year after the village board approved a $5.2-million budget.

More than 60 residents attended the Monday meeting and public hearing. But only three asked questions or made suggestions and no one complained after Mayor Doug Watson explained the increase and the board voted unanimously for the budget.

"We are looking at a very, very high increase and it's driven by three factors," he said. "One is a 10 percent loss in assessed valuation," due to an ongoing county property reassessment. "So everybody has to pay a little bit more."

The second factor, he said, was "a spike in the pension contribution that was demanded by the state" -- $85,000 -- to keep the pension fund 100 percent funded for village employees after the state fund lost money.

"The third thing was that there was a federal discrimination lawsuit" over retirement benefits for volunteer firefighters that required the fund to be replenished "this year to the tune of $220,000" after a settlement in the case.

"Everybody took a hit," Watson said of cuts made to village departments and programs. "It's a tough year. These are tough times." The biggest cuts were to the fire department, which will receive $416,900 compared with this year's $476,052, and the library which is getting $423,000 compared with $498,692 this year.

"We eliminated some programs," Watson said. These include a $4,000 elementary after-school drama program.

Resident Kevin Murtha said the village should look at taxing the numerous catering facilities in the community at a higher rate because they "place a heavy burden" on village services.

The approved budget is up 6.1 percent from this year's $4.9 million spending plan. The tax rate is up 20 percent to $1.1676 per $100 of assessed valuation for residences and $0.9917 per hundred dollars of assessed valuation for commercial properties. Watson said homeowners would pay as much as $254 in higher taxes.