NISKAYUNA Proposed property tax increase down to 9.9 percent BY STEVEN COOK Gazette Reporter
Niskayuna’s projected tax rate increase has dipped below 10 percent, but just barely. The proposed 2008 town budget now includes a 9.9 percent property tax increase. That’s down from the original 11.4 percent increase. Supervisor Luke Smith said the budget reductions came from the elimination of one open police position and other smaller cuts. There wasn’t much further the board could go, he said. “I think it’s a fairly tight budget,” Smith said adding, “I’m interested in hearing suggestions.” Town residents will have the opportunity to make suggestions tonight at the public hearing scheduled for 7 p.m. at Town Hall. The Town Board made the reductions during about 14 hours of meetings in recent weeks. Board members reduced the police force by one, eliminating a position left open by the retirement of longtime DARE officer Gary Connor. Questions over the DARE position left it vulnerable, Smith said. The program has been put on hold while it’s reviewed and the police department gets back to full staffing. Connor is continuing to do anti-drug work for the schools, though not as a DARE officer. “We don’t know what the school district will do next year,” Smith said. “If the DARE program comes back as it was, it will have to be looked at again next year.” That cut amounted to about $45,000, Smith said. That, along with other cuts, brought the total proposed 2008 budget to $12.36 million, Smith said. Overall, Smith has said the budget increase reflects elements the town has little control over. The budget includes no new programs or staff. Town officials have placed the main increases in health insurance costs, contractual salary increases and the cost of highway department materials. Town board member William Chapman said Monday he could see other ways for the town to cut costs. He has suggested a hiring freeze and a reduction in the town asphalt budget by 5 percent. The 9.9 percent property tax increase would result in a rate of $3.90 per $1,000 of assessed value, town officials said. That means an estimated total 2008 tax bill on a home valued at $135,000 would be about $526, independent of county and school taxes. This would be the second straight year with a percentage property tax increase in the high single digits. Property taxes went up about 8.8 percent last year. The 2007 bill was approximately $480.
So, what's Susan Savage, head of the County Legislature doing to help her home district? Maybe we need to spread the Niskayuna taxes across the county.
ELECTION RESULTS NISKAYUNA The Niskayuna Town Board will remain fully Democratic after another party sweep in town elections Tuesday. Local attorney and Democrat Joe Landry held the town supervisor spot, holding off a strong challenge from former schools chief J. Briggs McAndrews, 3,070 to 2,917, according to unofficial election results. “Niskayuna did very well for the Democrats,” Landry, 49, said late Tuesday. “We worked very hard and ran a good campaign.” Landry’s apparent margin of victory was 153 votes, or about 2 percent. McAndrews left open the possibility of calling for a recount, but he said that decision was up to the town Republican leader Michael Mansion. As it stood, McAndrews conceded it didn’t look good. “I’m disappointed in that I would have liked to serve the town,” McAndrews said. “I thought the people running with me had strong credentials.” In the race for the two Town Board seats, Democratic incumbent Liz Orzel Kasper and Democratic newcomer Julie McDonnell won both seats up for grabs, the second-place McDonnell with more than 300 votes over their Republican rivals Scott Stevens and Mark Stuart. McDonnell, 39, won in her fi rst try for public office. She is the part-time Schenectady County auditor. Reached Tuesday evening, Mc-Donnell said she looked forward to starting work with the town. “I’m excited,” she said. “I’m just enjoying tonight and I’ll be ready to start Jan. 1. I’m so happy the Democrats did really well tonight. It was great teamwork by everyone.” The Democrats also won the town justice spot, with Stephen Swinton beating Louis Chicatelli 3,189 to 2,676. The Republicans lost going up against the added difficulty of cracking a board that hadn’t seen a Republican in years. All four current board members are Democrats, as is the supervisor. Board member William Chapman chose to run for a county Legislature seat. He lost in that bid Tuesday night. Supervisor Luke Smith opted not to run at all. The town supervisor post has a salary of $53,800. It is the only full-time town supervisor position in the county. The term is for two years. Terms of office for Town Board members are four years and carry a yearly stipend of $10,300. Landry, 49, is a local attorney who works with the county Legislature. McAndrews, 63, brought 10 years experience as superintendent for Niskayuna schools. For the two Town Board seats, Kasper, 65, — the only incumbent in either race — held her seat with 3,337 votes, and McDonnell held Chapman’s with 3,168. On the Republican side, Scott Stevens, 32, and Mark Stuart, 45, came in third and fourth with 2,834 and 2,414 votes respectively. For town justice, Swinton, 36, replaces retiring Justice Daniel M. Burns.
Niskayuna gets assessment data Property owners can review information to be used for revaluation
By PAUL NELSON, Staff writer First published: Wednesday, November 14, 2007
NISKAYUNA -- Data collection is done with and residential property owners can now review information about their homes that the town will use to come up with new values. The one-page form, which went out by mail about two weeks ago, included the square footage, style, and number of rooms in the house, according to Town Assessor Amy Houlihan. The document condenses data from a survey residents filled out with the results of an exterior inspection.
The assessment has so far been relatively smooth, Houlihan said.
There has, however, been some confusion regarding what constitutes a finished basement on raised ranch and split level homes.
The assessor said homeowners should make any changes to the paperwork if they see anything they consider inaccurate before sending it back.
The deadline to turn the paperwork was Tuesday.
And residents can also call up Houlihan to schedule an interior inspection or if they want their property measured.
As of last week, she had already done just under two dozen, mostly related to the condition of the house, Houlihan added.
Upon getting back all the information back, Houlihan and her staff working with a consultant hired by the town, will then input any changes into a computer system and reinspect properties, if necessary.
From there, the town and firm will take a look real estate sales in the town within the past two years "to make sure they are viable sales."
Then by the middle of December, they will begin running preliminary fair market values through a computer system based on comparable home sales. Houlihan and the workers with the firm will visit every neighborhood in town to verify the computer generated data.
"The computer can only do so much, so we will physically go out to the right of way to verify that similar houses are assessed at about the same," Houlihan added.
A workshop will be held before disclosure notices are mailed out on March 1.
The disclosure statement will contain the fractional value of the current assessment and the preliminary new full value as well as the final net change.
Informal hearings for any homeowners who want to contest their new assessment will be done by appointment and the town has plans to open a resource center for anyone with questions.
The new assessments will be available by street, neighborhood and type of homes, Houlihan said. Residents can also mail in complaints.
A tentative town assessment roll will go out May 1 with the final town assessment roll to follow two months later, Houlihan said. Between that time, there will be a grievance period before the town Board of Assessment Review.
Nelson can be reached at 454-5347 or by e-mail at pnelson@timesunion.com.
NISKAYUNA Board OKs $12.36M budget; taxes up 9.9% BY STEVEN COOK Gazette Reporter
The Niskayuna Town Board Tuesday night approved the 2008 town budget and with it a 9.9 percent property tax increase. Board members voted 3 to 2 to approve the $12.36 million spending plan. Board members Liz Orzel Kasper and William Chapman voted against. The final budget was largely unchanged from the one presented at a public hearing last month. At that hearing, some residents spoke out, asking for further cuts. But, Supervisor Luke Smith has maintained since the budget was first proposed that it is a tight one, with little extra. “Although any tax increase this size is disappointing, I think it’s a responsible budget,” Smith said. The 9.9 percent property tax increase for 2008 follows an 8.8 percent increase for 2007. If this trend continues, Smith said, he expects things will have to be done differently. For now, he’s hoping for an increased share of sales tax revenue and an economic turnaround. Smith also won’t be around to see that happen; he did not run for re-election. Supervisor-elect Joe Landry is to take his place on Jan. 1. Chapman and Kasper had both advocated further cuts. Chapman, who also won’t be returning to the board in January, had proposed a hiring freeze and reduction of the town asphalt budget by 5 percent. Kasper, who won re-election this month, had also proposed salary freezes for non-contract employees. Kasper did not comment before her vote. Chapman only advocated earlier involvement of the Town Board in the budget process. Board member Diane O’Donnell noted the board spent hours trying to cut the budget. Smith’s original budget called for an 11.4 percent increase. She argued against the salary freezes suggestion, saying that wouldn’t solve the town’s problems and the employees deserved the raises. O’Donnell also argued that the budget included no extravagant purchases or new programs. “We’re just trying to deliver the services that I think the town residents want to have,” she said. The 9.9 percent property tax increase would result in a rate of $3.90 per $1,000 of assessed value, town officials said. That means an estimated total 2008 tax bill on a home valued at $135,000 would be about $526, not counting county and school taxes. The 2007 bill was approximately $480. Also Tuesday night, the board reaffirmed its intent to move forward with the appeal of a judge’s ruling that stopped the Stanford Crossings project. The town and developers have appealed the ruling. Those opposing the controversial development at the site of the historic Ingersoll residence have cried foul at the town’s involvement. Town Attorney Eric Dickson polled the board to ensure members wanted to continue. The town’s legal briefs are due Nov. 30, with arguments in February. Board members polled along their original voting lines to go forward. The issue, however, may ultimately be moot. A new board is to take office in January, with an expected new majority on the issue. The board could stop the town’s appeal at any time.
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