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Budget
After a handful of small tweaks, the Common Council unanimously approved the 2019 spending plan for the Port City. The budget contains the first reduction in city property taxes for city residents in 20 years. Mayor Billy Barlow’s budget proposal reduced the general tax rate from $15.67 per thousand dollars of assessed value in 2018 to $15.33 in 2019. The council’s reductions trimmed it to $15.28. It goes from a 2.11% reduction in city property taxes in the 2019 Operating Budget, to a 2.41%.
Fulton City School District qualified voters showed up to vote on the district’s proposed 2018-2019 budget, three open seats on the board of education, and a proposition to approve the purchase of two passenger vans. Unofficial results show the $71,992,850 budget was approved by voters with 340 votes in favor and 142 against, several hundred fewer voters than the previous year. Two newcomers and one incumbent have secured three available seats on the district’s board of education.
The city of Fulton’s 2018 budget passed a unanimous roll call vote by the Fulton Common Council after a public hearing brought out mostly positive remarks on Tuesday. The $16,492,000 budget brought a zero percent tax increase despite a spending increase of $245,861 from last year and revenues down $1,931 for a total of $9,605,997. A recent push by councilors to sell city-owned properties acquired by tax foreclosure has contributed to a $10,844,170 increase from last year in the city’s total assessed value, reaching $337,533,626. The tax rate remained steady at $20.50 per $1,000 of assessed value, the increase in assessed value helping to keep this figure unchanged, city officials said.
Superintendent Brian Pulvino presented his first Fulton City School District official budget draft at a board of education meeting held Monday (March 20) since beginning his position with the district this school year. In it’s earliest draft form, the 2017-2018 school budget totals $70,542,921 showing a $206,421 increase from the 2016-2017 budget, a difference of 0.29 percent.
At its current state, the proposed 2017 Fulton city budget shows no increase in the tax rate, standing at $20.51 per $1,000 of assessed value. A pubic hearing on the proposed 2017 budget has been scheduled to take place on Dec 6 following the public comment portion of the regular common council meeting beginning at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Building, located at 141 S. First St.
City residents turned out to their polling places today (May 17) to vote on the Fulton City School District 2016-2017 school budget and numerous other propositions including two open seats on the Board of Education. All propositions passed with a total of 967 voters. Oswego’s budget was also approved and two newcomers will join the school board.
Fulton school district officials held a public presentation of the budget and numerous other propositions on this year’s ballot set for vote on Tuesday, May 17. Superintendent of Schools, William Lynch and Business Administrator, Kathy Nichols presented the material to a handful of public audience in the auditorium at the district’s Education Center on Wednesday (May 4). This year, the $70,336,500 budget brings forth a 2.47% spending increase from the current year budget with a tax levy increase of 0.43% and is categorized as a “status quo budget” meaning that all current staffing and educational services, programs and opportunities for students will be maintained.
Fulton City School District officials will discuss the voter propositions that will be presented this year at a public hearing to be held Wednesday, May 4 at the Education Center. The presentation will be led by Superintendent of Schools, William Lynch as well as Business Administrator for the district, Kathy Nichols and Executive Director of Instruction and Assessment, Betsy Conners. The hearing is open to all members of the public and will begin at 7 p.m. in the Fulton Education Center auditorium located at 167 S. Fourth Street. School officials will present on all areas of voter propositions to further explain the details of each.
The tentative 2016-17 budget for the Oswego City School District has cut the fat – and then some. “Nobody likes reductions … I hate these reductions,” Dr. Dean Goewey, superintendent, said Tuesday night after unveiling his updated budget plan. The $79,510,611 budget proposal is less than the current budget and less than the 2014-15 budget. However, the cuts are severe. Many positions have been targeted for reduction at all levels within the district.
Assemblyman Will Barclay said, The lack of transparency in this budget process was nearly incomparable. Bills were brought to lawmakers just hours before we were required to vote. Assemblyman Bob Oaks added, The state budget was finally adopted … after being negotiated behind closed doors and requiring a “message of necessity” from the governor to waive the ability of legislators and the public to take the normal three days to study and critically review the budget before it came up for a vote. Senator Patty Ritchie said, Just a few short months ago, we set out to craft a spending plan that strengthens the middle class, grows our economy and improves educational opportunities for students. Today, I’m proud to say we succeeded in achieving those goals, approving a new state budget that will help to build a better future for all New Yorkers.
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