KINDERHOOK – Town residents will get a break next year, with a small decrease in their property taxes, even though revenue was down slightly in the current year.
“We sharpened our pencils,” said Town Supervisor Pat Grattan after the Town Board passed a $2.8 million budget Monday, November 21.
“Revenue was down–which didn’t help us–but we were able to cut $2,000 in expenses,” he said.
Property taxes are being reduced 2.2% for Town of Kinderhook residents. Taxes will fall even more in the town’s two villages, with Kinderhook village residents seeing a 3.6% reduction in property taxes and Valatie village residents a 3.8% drop.
Mr. Grattan said the major budget savings will come from the town having fewer employees next year, including two fewer in the tax assessor’s office. Tax assessor Tom Griffin and his assistant were both hired as contract employees, so the town is saving on health insurance and other benefits.
Mr. Grattan said he was proud the board was able to maintain many important programs while cutting the overall budget.
“We haven’t reduced funding for our summer programs, our recreational programs or our senior citizens programs,” he said. “We haven’t cut back on Highway Department funding either.”
