The Altamont Reservoir is worth a third of the value at which the town of Knox, where the reservoir is located, had assessed the property.

Though the town’s preliminary budget includes a tax cut for residents, increased costs are looming in Berne’s future that may mean consolidating departments to save, says the supervisor.

In Rensselaerville, the town board repeated the tradition of holding a hearing on whether to enact a local law to go above the state-set tax-levy limit. But Supervisor Valerie Lounsbury said that this is likely unnecessary, as the preliminary budget, with a 1.73-percent tax-levy increase, is set to stay below the cap.

The town’s proposed 2018 budget is up slightly over 2017. Most residents will see a small decrease in their taxes.

In Knox, the 2018 budget looks to decrease the gap between the amount of money secured for the year and the amount spent, despite prospective increases in the health insurance and tipping fees for trash disposal.

To guarantee that residents across New York are paying their fair share of taxes, the state needs a law with enforcement teeth to set a common requirement for full-value assessment.

A dramatic change in Guilderland’s equalization rate, set by the state, means Guilderland residents will pay more in county taxes and in school districts like Voorheesville’s. Also, the value of residents’ exemptions will drop.

In New York State, qualifying clothing and footwear purchases are exempt from state sales tax year-round. Many states offer sales-tax breaks leading up to the school year, but in New York State clothing and footwear are always exempt from the state’s 4-percent sales tax when they are sold for less than $110.

ALBANY COUNTY — Ever since the United States Census Bureau, in 1999, started tracking digital shopping’s share of domestic retail sales, that share has grown. Steadily. So, it’s not news that more and more people are buying online.

Guilderland’s Industrial Development Agency gives Pyramid Companies part of what they asked for.