SALAMANCA — The Salamanca Common Council tonight will seek to approve a tentative budget for the upcoming fiscal year, but whether or not an increase to the tax levy will be part of it was undecided.
The $11,758,853 million spending plan includes a nearly 15% increase to the current budget, a roughly $1.5 million addition.
A tentative budget is expected to be adopted at the council’s meeting tonight at 7 p.m. in the city courtroom. A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23. It is expected the final budget will be adopted at that time.
All indications prior to the meeting pointed to the tentative budget passing with $943,661 raised by taxes at a rate of $63.78 per one thousand assessed valuation, which is no increase to the tax levy. If the council were to raise taxes, the levy limit would be $1,007,963.
“It doesn’t benefit us money wise because it’s such a little amount on our tax base,” Mayor Sandra Magiera. “But it would help if we go to the governor and federal people, it shows we’re at least trying but it’s not helping as much.”
In addition to the funds raised from taxes, the city would also receive about $5,223,976 from other revenues and $5,591,216 used from the fund balance due. The city has had to dip into its fund balance for the past four years since funds stopped coming from the Seneca Nation casino compact with New York state.
“We didn’t put the casino money in our budget yet because we’re still not sure if we’re going to get it,” Magiera said.
Magiera said the budget prep sessions held in recent weeks went well and the council feels confident in the spending plan. She said there were a few cuts across departments but some were budgeted new vehicles after having to hold off in 2020 and 2021.
“We’ve added some necessary things we really need to do, plus a lot of it is through contracts, payroll and the usual,” she said. “Because we didn’t give any vehicles last year, at some point you have to give something or one year you’ll have to replace everything.”
One major project in the works for about a decade is major repairs to the Main Street bridge. Although the city has to front the roughly $700,000 cost — which Magiera noted the city can use its state Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) funds for — the state and federal government is to reimburse the city for 85% to 95% of the project.
“We do have quite a bit of CHIPS money so I know some of the streets will have some work done on them,” the mayor said.
One of the big concerns this year was funding for the library after its board of trustees voted to move the library to a more independent financial standing from the city. However, the library still has to come to the city for nearly all of its budget.
“Everybody had mixed feelings. I think we offered quite a nice budget for them,” Magiera said. “Hopefully they can work with it, but it’s not what they asked for.”
Other additions in the proposed budget are a human resources officer for the city. The council first suggested the idea for the 2020-21 budget but one had yet to be hired.
A hopeful project for 2022 is more demolition of blighted properties as the council has allocated $200,000 for just that, Magiera said, as well as other renovations of city buildings. Additionally, the youth center is looking to have new windows installed, she said.
“The senior center needs some work on the outside,” the mayor said. “There’s things we haven’t done that we just need to do.”
Another project is a renovation of the state archway at the entrance to Veterans Memorial Park, Magiera said. The council initially approved the project in 2021 but wasn’t able to start before fall.
Two of the city’s smaller playgrounds near Pine Street and Elm Street are also looking to have some updated equipment installed, the mayor said. She said the current equipment is quite outdated and the projects would not be nearly as big as the Highland Avenue project in 2018.
With three council members in the second year of their first terms, Magiera said the process went more smoothly this year after the experience gained in 2021.
“This administration really wants this city to move forward, even if it’s just smaller projects to start off with,” the mayor said. “People will see that we’re trying to move the city forward. Baby steps, but it’s what we can afford to do at this time.”
According to the city charter, the council must adopt a tentative budget on or before Feb. 15, conduct a public hearing on the tentative budget on or before Feb. 24 and adopt a final budget on or before March 1.
