The public will get a chance to watch tonight as Town Board members begin trying to cut the proposed 2010 budget.
Last week, Town Supervisor Earle Reed proposed a budget with a 54 percent tax hike.
The proposed $15 million budget is only about $30,000 higher than the 2009 budget. The tax hike is so large, however, because the town has burned through all of the $2.8 million its main savings account held in 2006 without officials realizing until last spring that this was occurring.
Now, town officials are planning a series of working sessions to make cuts to that plan. Town Board members will go over the budgets of each town department.
The first meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. tonight at Butler Hall and will address the Highway and Engineering department budgets.
A schedule for the remaining meetings still is in the works.
“The purpose of these meetings is for the department heads to see where they can make cuts and find efficiencies,” Councilwoman Christine Krupa said. “Anything that can help.”
The public also will be given an opportunity to voice their opinions on the budget at a public hearing, which should be scheduled soon.
