I was looking at other towns/villages and
Brighton has had theirs up,Chili Supervisor "tweeted" that his was submitted on time, although I can't find a link to it on their website, Penfield has theirs up (with a 10% decrease from the 2009 tax rate, from what I think might be an increase in the valuation and then keeping the tax levy the same as last year = a lower tax rate for residents), Pittsford has theirs up, and so does Webster.
But, so far, nothing is on Irondequoit's website about the preliminary budget for 2010.
Last year, it was in by September 30th. According to this MPNnow article, by law it has to be in by then.
But, according to this link I found, they have until the 20th of October to submit estimates......
You can read the NYS town laws at this link.
*Scroll down to TWN and click on that (towns).
*Scroll down to, and click on Article 8 (finances).
*Sections 102-115 deal with the budget and when certain things are due.
§ 104. Submission of estimates.
1. The head of each administrative
unit, except as otherwise provided in section two hundred two-a of this
chapter, shall submit on or before the twentieth day of September to the
budget officer an estimate of revenues and expenditures of such
administrative unit for the ensuing year. In towns in Westchester and
Monroe counties such estimates shall be submitted on or before the
twentieth day of October. Estimates shall be submitted in such form and
shall contain such information as the budget officer shall prescribe.
2. If the head of an administrative unit shall fail to submit an
estimate by the designated date, the budget officer shall forthwith
prepare the estimate for such administrative unit.
§ 106. Preparation, filing and review of tentative and preliminary
budgets.
1. The budget officer, upon receipt of the estimates of the
various administrative units, shall review the estimates and may confer
with the head of any such unit in regard to such estimates. He may
require the head of any such unit to furnish information and to answer
inquiries pertinent to such review.
2. Upon the completion of the review of the estimates, the budget
officer shall prepare a tentative budget which shall include his
recommendations and which shall be in the form prescribed in and in
conformance with section one hundred seven of this article. He may also
prepare a budget message explaining the main features of the tentative
budget and containing such additional information as he may deem
advisable. On or before the thirtieth day of September, or in towns in
Westchester and Monroe counties on or before the thirtieth day of
October, he shall file in the office of the town clerk the tentative
budget, the budget message, if any, and the estimates and schedules.
3. The town clerk shall present the tentative budget to the town board
at a regular or special meeting to be held on or before the fifth day of
October. In towns in Westchester and Monroe counties the town clerk
shall present the tentative budget to the town board at a regular or
special meeting to be held on or before the tenth day of November. The
town board may call upon the head of any administrative unit and the
budget officer to discuss the tentative budget and the estimates as
originally submitted. The head of any administrative unit may request in
writing that he be permitted to explain his estimates to the town board.
The town board shall review the tentative budget and may make such
changes, alterations and revisions as it shall consider advisable and
which are consistent with law.
4. Upon the completion of such review, the tentative budget and any
modifications thereof as approved by the town board, shall become the
preliminary budget. The preliminary budget shall be filed in the office
of the town clerk and the town clerk shall reproduce for public
distribution as many copies as the town board may direct.
§ 109. Final revision and adoption of budget.
1. After the public hearing, the town board may further change, alter and revise the
preliminary budget, subject, however, to the requirements of subdivision
one of section one hundred seven of this chapter.
2. The preliminary budget as submitted or amended shall be finally
adopted by resolution of the town board not later than the twentieth day
of November, except that in towns in Westchester and Monroe counties not
later than the twentieth day of December. The preliminary budget as
adopted shall be known as the annual budget for the town for the fiscal
year beginning on the first day of January next succeeding, and it shall
be entered in the minutes of the town board.
3. Upon the adoption of the resolution required by this section the
amounts proposed to be appropriated shall thereupon be appropriated. In
the event that the town board shall fail to adopt a budget as of the
twentieth day of November, or in towns in Westchester and Monroe
counties as of the twentieth day of December, the preliminary budget,
with such changes, alterations and revisions, if any, as shall have been
made by the town board, shall constitute the budget for the ensuing
fiscal year.
I don't know if they have recently changed the laws or something....but I had remembered reading that article about the 30th of September being "the date" the estimates had to be in by, and that's why I thought it was odd that it hasn't been submitted yet.
In years past, the "preliminary budget" has always been in by the end of September.
Here are some e-mails sent to the town about the budget:
The e-mails bring up a couple of good points - that in years past the preliminary budgets have been submitted earlier than this year, and that legal notices in MPNnow, and on the bulletin board at Town Hall are nice and all.....but.....last year they were announced on the website and reported on in the papers before September 30th etc., and that the website is used for press releases.....why not for releasing information about the budget?
After the e-mails were recieved, the town website calendar had the dates on there for the budget workshops. Link to calendar.
Also, the D&C reported on Sunday 10/4 that the town would discuss the budget.
Thank you to the residents who called and wrote about the budget and when it will be discussed and/or ready for submission! I know I appreciate it!
Other towns (other than the ones I had listed above) have submitted their preliminary budgets according to the D&C. These two towns have their own police force....just like Irondequoit. Gates, which has a surplus, according to the D&C article, and Greece, which will drop the tax rate by 2.41% according to the D&C article.
I'm looking forward to seeing Irondequoit's preliminary budget - at the very latest - October 21st.
Last year the tax levy went up almost a million, and even though the town claims they reduced the tax rate by 10% - they didn't....they actually raised it 6.4%. Read how they did that here.
