Welcome to the Village of Pittsford!

A WORD FROM THE MAYOR

Over the last 12 years, in an effort to curb residents’ taxes, the Village Board reduced the size of the general budget by about 15% in constant dollars. Much of the credit for the stability of our budget is due to cost savings identified by Village staff.

This year, increasing expenses, including a 12.9% increase in our healthcare premiums (compounded by an even larger increase last year), continuing infrastructure maintenance requirements, and the need to begin implementation of recommendations from our Comprehensive Plan,
necessitate an increase in our general budget. To address a potential shortfall, the Board reluctantly has proposed a 9.9% tax increase that will result in about a $36 increase in Village taxes for the average homeowner. Even with the increase, taxes will remain below their 1989 level.

Due to space limitations, the budget overview in this newsletter is cursory. We encourage you to review the more detailed information contained in the free budget brochures available at the Village Hall at 21 North Main Street..
Regular business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Or visit our website at
www.villageofpittsford.org.

Thanks to all of you who over the last year have taken time to share your thoughts with me and with other board members. Your compliments, suggestions, and criticisms are appreciated. They are used by the Village Board to improve our delivery of services, to inform our policy-making, and
to ensure that we are responsive to your needs. We look forward to your continued input.

‘Reluctantly,’ A 9.9% Tax
Increase Is Approved

Over the last few months, the Village Board and staff have been developing a proposed budget for the 2003 - 2004 fiscal year beginning on June 1. The process includes reviewing our budget history, including the expenditure and revenue of the previous year and making projections for the year ahead.

Most of the Village budget is devoted to fixed costs associated with the Department of PublicWorks services, staff salaries, and fixed expenses such as utilities. A little over 10% of the budget is devoted to discretionary capital expenditures addressing equipment replacement and infrastructure improvements. Each year an extensive “wish list” is developed which is then whittled down to meet the limits of our budget. We believe Village residents receive an excellent value for their tax dollars. The total amount paid by homeowners for village taxes is less than many neighborhood association fees or special district fees in neighboring communities, even though the Village provides a variety of special services.

Deputy Mayor Glenn Brown Talks About The New Budget

No one ever is pleased with news of a tax raise - especially when that announcement comes at a time when the economy is already strained.

“Unfortunately, we’re raising much less in real tax dollars than we did 15 years ago,” says Deputy Mayor and Chief Financial Officer Glenn Brown. “Taxes account for one-third of our revenue, but those dollars just don’t buy as much as they used to. The fact is, our tax rate hasn’t kept up with the cost of living.”

“While we regret the increase, it might have been worse,”
says Glenn. “A $100,000 grant for waterfront improvements from Senator Jim Alesi and some very effective cost-saving measures by our DPW have made a real difference in helping keeping costs in line.”

Several key factors lay behind the Village Board’s reluctant - but unanimous - decision to raise taxes 9.9% next year.
Glenn talked recently about some of those factors.

The first (as explained in the Mayor’s Letter) was a rise in staff healthcare costs, the second consecutive year of double-digit increases.

The second factor reflects the need to raise sewer rates. Last year, the Board recognized that sewer rents in Pittsford Village were the lowest in the county. This year the second half
of the 25% increase voted on last year is being levied. The average annual village sewer bill will now be $76, a $15 increase over last year.

Glenn Brown
Deputy Mayor

The third factor is a dramatic 75% decrease in revenue accrued from capital fund investments. An area of revenue that has consistently brought in nearly $40,000 annually shrunk this year to about $10,000.

“We believe that Village residents understand the need for
the (tax) increase,” said Brown. “We believe they want us to maintain a strong infrastructure, the kind that makes Pittsford unique in Monroe County,” said Brown. “Across the economy we hear of companies laying off hundreds, if not thousands, of employees to meet shrinking revenues. We’ve always kept a lean staff. Now they’re just working harder.”

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News from the Village of Pittsford, New York

Spring 2003