NEW SCOTLAND — The town’s 2016 budget is slated to include a 1-percent raise for all employees, according to the board’s budget officer, Supervisor Thomas Dolin. The total proposed budget is $7,798,153, up almost $600,000 from last year.

“We adopted a preliminary budget. We’re still under the cap,” he told The Enterprise, referring to the state-set tax-levy cap.

Property tax growth for local governments will be capped at less than 1 percent for 2016, down from this year’s 1.94 percent, according to State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, who announced the reduction in July. The report said that the allowable tax-levy growth factor will be 0.73 percent for municipalities that operate on a calendar-based fiscal year.

The state’s tax cap limits tax levy increases to the lesser of the rate of inflation or 2 percent, and includes a provision that allows municipalities to override the cap.

Two general funds

Lisa Boehlke, the clerk to the supervisor, told The Enterprise that the tax rate for  general fund A, for which both town and Voorheesville village residents pay, is $1.38 per $1,000 of assessed value for 2016. The rate decreased slightly, by less than 1 percent, she said.

“The levy has remained the same,” she said.

In the second general fund, B, for residents outside the village, the tax rate is an additional $0.18 per $1,000, and covers services like garbage pick-up, Boehlke said.

Also, residents outside the village pay into an additional highway fund at a rate of $0.313 per $1,000; together the two B funds have a rate of $0.493 per $1,000, she said.

“All of the general funds have a reduction in the rate,” Boehlke said, noting that the decrease is less than 1 percent.

“We tried to keep everything even in all our general funds,” she said. “We’re working within the cap.”

Overview

In addition to the cost-of-living pay increase planned for New Scotland, some salaries will see minor adjustments, Dolin said. Earlier this month, the board approved small per-hour changes for new employees who met certification criteria.

“The tax increase amounts to less than $5 a household,” Dolin said.

In addition to town taxes, much of the revenue for the town comes from Albany County sales tax, with other, smaller amounts of funds coming from franchise fees, zoning fees, and safety inspection fees.

The overall budget accounts for the fire protection districts, special light districts, special emergency medical technician districts, and five water districts.

Proposed salaries include $58,844.18 for the supervisor; $8,739.53 for each of four town board members; $55,024.66 for the town clerk; $69,847 for the highway superintendent; and $26,556 for each of two judges.

In the general fund, state retirement costs for employees increased by $11,000, but insurance costs decreased by nearly $7,000, for a net increase of about $5,000.

The town will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m.