Today's Ithaca Journal reports on the 11% percent increase in the tax levy proposed in the Village of Dryden, driven by a 7% increase in total spending and reflected in a 4.5% tax rate increase.
Health insurance, retirement, legal, and gasoline costs have increased substantially, as did the need for some salaries to rise to stay competitive. Freeville also reduced their contracted number of hours for Dryden police. Mayor Reba Taylor notes that "we should still be able to operate and give everyone the same services they've always had."
The trustees also discussed the Cortland Road sewer district, which has become a growing source of contention with the town (water and sewer issues were a large part of what drove the annexation debate over the last few months).
The Journal also reports on an Ithaca City School District budget forum, with more details on the cost of benefits and concessions the teachers' union has made for future employees, and prints a letter from Murray Cohen of the Town of Dryden that suggests that "President Bush must be held accountable. If he doesn't have the courage to resign because of his inept leadership, he must be voted out of office in November of 2004."
Posted by simon at March 19, 2004 8:54 AM in Ithaca Journal , Village of Dryden , labor , politics (local) , public finance , schools (Ithaca) , water and sewer