Council approves budget
Tax hike included in Johnstown planBy MICHAEL ANICH/ The Leader-Herald
Article Photos
JOHNSTOWN - Without any public discussion, the city council on Monday adopted the city's $9.9 million budget for 2009 in a 3-2 vote.
The budget carries a 2.9 percent property tax increase.
The council previously conducted a public hearing on the proposed budget in which no one spoke.
The budget contains a proposed tax rate of $15.98 per $1,000 of assessed valuation - 45 cents higher than the 2008 city tax rate of $15.53 per $1,000. A city property owner with a home assessed at $50,000 will see his tax bill increase by $23. A homeowner with a $100,000 home will see his tax bill increase by $46.
Voting to adopt the budget were 1st Ward Councilwoman Cynthia Lakata, 2nd Ward Councilman J. Christopher Foss and 4th Ward Councilwoman Kay Cole. Voting no were Councilman-at-Large Bryan C. Marcucci and 3rd Ward Councilman Brett Preston.
After the meeting, Preston said there "wasn't just one reason" why he opposed the spending plan. For example, he said he doesn't approve of the proposed new salt storage shed on North Perry Street. The city is budgeting $40,000 for that project.
Preston said he also opposes raises for the Common Council members. Under the budget, the salaries of the five members will be raised from $4,380 to $4,520 apiece.
Preston said there were many other smaller items he didn't approve.
Marcucci, who has a downtown photography business, said the main reason he voted no was the tax increase.
"I just don't think the people of Johnstown can afford a raise in taxes year in and year out," Marcucci said.
He said local businesses and others in the city are struggling to make ends meet.
Marcucci said he will know better next year how to deal with figuring the budget as it will be his second year on the council. He replaced the late Joseph Salamack as councilman-at-large.
Since the budget was released Oct. 20 as a tentative document by Mayor Sarah J. Slingerland, council members have said little about it publicly.
Slingerland said after Monday's session that she and the council, department heads and Treasurer Michael Gifford did a good job in developing the budget.
"I'm very comfortable with the budget," the mayor said.
Slingerland said the reason there might not have been many public comments by council members is they already talked to several people privately away from City Hall about the budget. She said council members also have discussed the budget with her, Gifford and other department heads at City Hall in the past few weeks.
Lakata said she has answered many questions from the public about the budget and is satisfied with the plan.
In addition, she said she asked many questions at the council's Sept. 29 budget workshop before the mayor released her then-tentative budget.
She said the comments she has received about the budget from the public were positive.
Gifford has said spending is up 4.5 percent for 2009, part of which is due to rising fuel costs for agencies such as the Department of Public Works.
The budget for next year is up by about $595,000 from the $9,329,200 2008 budget. The levy also is up from $3,179,200 in this year's budget to $3,689,200 for 2009.
Gifford has estimated about $300,000 in the fund balance will be used next year - taking the balance from $1.2 million to about $900,000 for 2009.
Expenditures in the 2009 budget are as follows: Common Council -- $22,600; mayor - $15,000; city treasurer - $215,400; city clerk - $64,900; city assessor - $92,100; elections - $9,700; public health - $5,000; historian - $1,800; city attorney - $142,200; public works - $2,351,400; fire department - $1,443,200; police department - $1,629,200; traffic control -$31,300; animal control -$48,000; housing - $2,500; program for aging - $135,200; unallocated expenditures - $367,000; debt - $260,500; employee benefits - $2,645,300; transfers - $441,900.
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Hilltopper
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12-03-08 8:20 PM
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Rage, Deisel fuel peaked at $4.912 per gal. on 7/14 and it is now at $2.875. These are state averages. On Dec 2, 2007 the state average was $3.57, so it has dropped about 20 % in the last year.
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RageoftheDay
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12-03-08 9:27 AM
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Hey dirt - There must have been some problems or discussion in passing the budget otherwise it would have passed 5 - 0. Stick with dirt.
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RageoftheDay
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12-03-08 9:25 AM
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Dirt - I have no idea what you are talking about. Never did I think or say that I thought the budget would not pass because of a satl storage shed. I was offering an opion as to why a council person voted against the budget. Also, NEVER would I deny there is far better leadership in Johnstown. No one is fighting here. And no I do not see what you are talking about.
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RageoftheDay
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12-03-08 9:22 AM
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No problem lizzie. I guess people cannot debate or discuss issue without thinkning it's anger. Get angry at the issue. Cruella - Great banner to throw up in your defense. I would exercise my freedom of opinion but I vowed to be a nicer person. I don't know how long I will be able to hold out, but I will keep trying.
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RageoftheDay
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12-03-08 9:18 AM
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Hilltopper - I would bet that the DPW uses primarily deisel fuel, which has not gone down. But gas for the patrol cars has. Interesting. the trouble with a budget is that it is just a guess. i woudl bet the Council wants to have enough in the budget for fule.
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Hilltopper
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12-03-08 7:12 AM
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How can the 4.5% increase be attributed, in part, to rising fuel costs when fuel is at the lowest price it has been in years ?
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lizzie
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12-02-08 9:06 PM
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Who's fighting? differing opinions doesn't indicate fighting, except perhaps for cruella, who seems to be rather angry.
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Dirtracefan
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12-02-08 8:08 PM
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Well you all have had all day to post your comments and all that you can come up with are more reasons why Johnstown is different then Gloversville. Constant fighting between yourselves is exactly how the Council is run in Gloversville, do you see what I am talking about. The whole key to why this budget passed without problems is LEADERSHIP, if you think this budget was not going to pass because of a salt shed, or a small raise for the council-people, then most of you need a reality check
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lizzie
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12-02-08 7:47 PM
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Rage, I'm not cruella. I don't take offense that easily. I actually read the Gazette article first, and based my comments on its content. Please, my skin is thicker than that!
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cruella
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12-02-08 4:54 PM
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OF SPEECH!
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cruella
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12-02-08 4:53 PM
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OH WELL, THAT IS A PROBLEM YOU WIIL HAVE TO OVERCOME!!!! FREEDOM OR SPEECH THEY CALL IT!!!!
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RageoftheDay
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12-02-08 4:22 PM
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Can we please not use an article about Johnstown as a forum to talk about the Gloversville dirt. I AM SICK OF IT. Want to discuss Loversville dirt do it on an article about Gloversville. If everyone is sick about the stuff happening there you would think they would be sick of talking about it. I am sick of hearing about it.
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RageoftheDay
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12-02-08 4:20 PM
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Woooow Lizzie, you took me out of context, which is the danger of this type of forum. Didn't mean to sound as though I was attacking your position on anything. I was really trying to indirectly say that I think that Mr. Preston has a different political agenda than opposing a salt storage shed and $700 worth of raises.
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cruella
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12-02-08 4:03 PM
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Thats taxpayers.
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cruella
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12-02-08 4:03 PM
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Well Lizzie, the people need to see it somewhere because everything is hush hush on the radio and in the newspaper, and I think the people have a right as taxpays to know just what he`s up to. And if no one is hiding anything then it shouldn`t matter, if it`s on the radio or in the news paper. But yesterday there was some stuff on the radio all morning, and then it was hushed up. It`s not fair to the people here.
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lizzie
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12-02-08 3:32 PM
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Rage, in the Gazette Preston said "it wasn't just one reason", and did mention the storage shed and raises as a couple of them. The Gazette was a bit more detailed as to why the 2 voted no. I have no issue with the raises either, and I don't believe I said I did. I never said I didn't support a salt storage shed either, I simply pointed out that Preston has a couple of issues.
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lizzie
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12-02-08 3:29 PM
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cruella, I'm well aware of what the mayor does, I was just trying to be kind, considering this is a public forum for all the world to see if they so choose.
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cruella
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12-02-08 3:26 PM
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Lizzie, Gloversville mayor don`t just do things on his "off" hours . He does that rummer swirling anytime, besides, I thought he was a 24-7 mayor!! And living with the city clerk when the two have access to all of Gloversvilles business leaves him and her wide open for rummers and criticism, and I have heard some good ones, only they are not rummers, they are truth! Something mayor doesn`t do well, truth!!! NO, Dirtracefan, most people don`t have faith in Mayor Hughes!!
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RageoftheDay
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12-02-08 1:45 PM
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lizzie - nice observations but I would add this. Preston cited 2 reasons. He objected to a salt storage shed. Ok, I can buy his objection but I would disagree with him due to environmental concenrs with storing salt uncovered. I would say it's worth $40,000. The sencond a most important is an obection to a $140 raise for council persons. That equates to a grand total of $700 added to the tax levy. I we are worried about that we are in trouble. For the work that council persons put in, I don't think $140 per year is an unreasonable raise. I would like to know the last year inwhich they had a raise.
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lizzie
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12-02-08 1:28 PM
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I agree also, with a couple of exceptions. Since two councilmen voted against the budget, obviously not all have 100% faith in the mayor. It will be interesting to follow next year to see if Mr. Marcucci makes good on his statements. Preston said there wasn't "just wasn't one reason", but gave an example of a single reason. Some could look at it as a mayor doing a great job with the people and council agreeing, or some could see it as an example of rubber stamping whatever those in charge propose. It's also nice that Johnstown's mayor doesn't have a host of rumors swirling around her about what she does in her "off" hours.
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Opinionated
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12-02-08 1:02 PM
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DirtRace, In my opinion, You made a great post here.
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Dirtracefan
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12-02-08 11:52 AM
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To all posters that write on this venue here is the difference between Johnstown and Gloversville. In Johnstown the Mayor is in full charge, with all Councilman and Woman having 100% faith in her decision making. In Gloversville how many people have faith in Mayor Hughes, from wahat I have been reading lately, not too many. The budget in Johnstown passed without any public comments, and only two council-people voted against it, and then did nothing to stop the process, both said maybe next year. When are the people in Gloversville going to realize that nothing is going to get done without the Mayor being in charge and having the respect and full confidence of all the council-people and most of the residents. The Mayor in Johnstown is paid one third as much, does ten times more, and, this is most important, loves her City. She was born and raised here, worked as a Teacher here, and now devotes all of her time to making Johnstown a wonderful place to live.
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