Youngstown budget vote set for April 30

By Benjamin Joe

Senior Contributing Writer

For the third year in a row, the property tax rate for the Village of Youngstown is likely to remain static at approximately $7.81 per $1,000 of assessed value for property in the municipality.

The tentative budget was presented at the Village of Youngstown’s Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, April 9, to a small audience of less than five residents. Deputy Mayor Rick Stortecky preceded going over the tentative budget by saying he had negotiated with the New York State Department of Transportation to save the village a sizable amount of money.

“New York state DOT sent an email regarding the road reconstruction project and our portion of the betterment for the waterline. We had already paid them $483,152 and, once the project was set, if it came back more than originally budgeted, we would be on the hook for the overage, which we agreed to,” he said. “However, in reviewing the estimate we received the day of the last meeting, they threw in a line item I had originally gotten them to take off. … They came back and agreed and reduced it from $25,903 to $8,608. A savings of $17,295.”

The budget shows the total expense facing the village is $2,720,214.67. Revenues to the village were calculated to meet this expense without raising any more taxes from the residents. Last year’s budget had an expense of $2,189,069.76.

According to Stortecky, portions of the new budget will be set aside for the procurement of a new truck for the Department of Public Works, while the clerk’s office is also in need of new software for its day-to-day operations.

Another source of spending comes from the Board of Trustee’s plans to repair the old train station in the Veteran’s Park neighborhood. Stortecky said the structure would get a new roof and new floors. It’s a historic building, he said, and he believes the village would benefit from its restoration. The price tag for repairs is approximately $30,000.

The remaining amount of spending in the budget comes from non-taxpayer's funds. A $245,000 Greenway grant will assist on the rails/trails project; and CHIPS funds totaling $150,000 – $70,000 more than last year – will also be spent accordingly.

Stortecky defended the move to use $200,000 worth of reserves in the village’s coffers that had been saved through the years, saying the present administration in the village benefited from putting funds into a NYCLASS account making 3.5% in interest annually. Stortecky also said the state, in its last audit, advised the village to spend part of its reserves.

The vote on the tentative budget is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 30 at the Village of Youngstown Board of Trustees regular meeting, to be held in the municipal building board room, 240 Lockport St.