New Bayville $4-million budget hikes taxes

The Bayville Village Board Monday night unanimously approved a $4,041,000 budget for next year that will raise village property taxes by 19.5 percent.

More than 60 residents attended the meeting but only three asked questions and no one complained after Mayor Doug Watson explained the reasons for the increase and the board voted.

He said the village's assessed valuation fell about 10 percent from last year. The state pension fund lost money and the village has to pay $85,000 more than last year to help offset that. And age-discrimination litigation in federal court over a retirement benefits program for volunteer firefighters resulted in the village being forced to contribute about $220,000 in the coming year to restore the fund balance, he said.

"Everybody took a hit," Watson said of cuts made to all village departments. "It's a tough year. These are tough times."

Watson said the tax increase could bring tax bill increases of more than $250 to higher priced homes but some residents would see a decrease because of reassessments. The tax rate went up 8.5 percent last year.

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

The new tax rate will be $1.1676 per $100 of assessed valuation for residences and $. 9917 per hundred dollars of assessed valuation for commercial properties.

In other business, Watson and trustee Kate Naughton said the village's Green Market farmers' market in the center of the village may go on after all this summer. They said two individuals have expressed interest in running the market after the village recently announced it can no longer support the operation. Naughton said she will be meeting with the two individuals to see if they can handle the job.