HUDSON — The Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved a 2022 Columbia County budget with a 2% tax cut.
The $170.5 million spending plan carries a 2% tax levy decrease from 2021, Columbia County Controller and Auditor Ronald Caponera said.
“Combined with our taxable property values going up $389 million, your tax rate will go down 6%,” Caponera said. “What does that mean? The average tax rate of $5.35 will be down from $5.69, or a 35-cents-per-$1,000 savings.”
Taxes would go down by about $92 on the average cost of a home in the county of $270,389, Caponera said.
The 2022 budget does not use cash from the general fund or fund balance for the second year in a row, Caponera said.
“There are no cuts in services or staff in this budget as in years before,” Caponera said. “And all the raises and everything according to the unions and non-unions are in this budget.”
Supervisors had not received a raise since 2010, Caponera said. County elected officials are receiving a $2,000 raise in salary in the 2022 budget. Supervisors had previously been receiving $14,000 a year and will be receiving $16,000, the majority and minority leaders and the deputy chairman of the board had been receiving $17,000 and will be receiving $19,000, and the chairman of the board of supervisors had been receiving $30,000 and will be receiving $32,000.
“And we had the ability to do this,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell said. “I mean all those years from 2010, we hadn’t really had that ability. ... I will say that I heard from both sides of the aisle and I didn’t hear anything negative from either side.”
Minority Leader and New Lebanon Town Supervisor Tistrya Houghtling praised the board and unions for creating a workable budget in tough times.
“I think it was really a feat to have the budget in these years with raises not just to elected positions but also through a lot of our unions getting rid of the step-raised system and a lot of those things and yet seeing an overall tax decrease. So great work to everyone and I strongly support this budget.”
Germantown Town Supervisor Robert Beaury applauded officials for reducing taxes and adopting a fiscally prudent budget.
“We’ve all been under a lot of stress, but especially the folks at 401 (State Street),” Beaury said. “They did a tremendous job. And this budget proves that you really did keep an eye on the bottom line, and you’re delivering a tax cut to the people. I thank you very much.”
The Board of Supervisors voted on the 2022 budget at a virtual meeting held Tuesday evening. All supervisors who were present at the meeting voted unanimously in favor of the budget. One supervisor was absent.
A virtual public hearing was held prior to the full board meeting the public to make comments or ask questions about the proposed 2022 operating budget for the county. No members of the public attended the hearing.