By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- The Board of Trustees on Tuesday passed a $15.4 million 2016-2017 budget with a zero percent increase in the tax levy and restored funding to the Business Development Corporation.

Tax payers will see rate will increase slightly due to increase in assessments. The new rate is up 11 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value to $15.57.

That means the owner of a $50,000 property will be taxed $778.50. A $100,000 property will owe $1,557.

“We’ve lost over $2 million in assessment value in the village,” Currier said.

Currier said he’s pleased with the budget, which he believes includes early steps to revitalizing downtown.

“I’m pleased. I think we’re maintaining services. This is a significant step forward in this community with regard to community development,” Currier said. “We’re not only taking about enhancing the downtown core, we’re going to put programs in place to make it desirable to make people want to go there.”

The trustees decided to give the BDC $15,000 from a $25,000 line item allocated for planning.

Currier said this is because the BDC will oversee one of his budget proposals - a fund to help kickstart downtown businesses.

The fund will have $125,000. Property owners can apply for rent subsidies, interior construction assistance, and help with new signage and exterior improvements.

“I think the BDC is going to fit nicely in our future plans,” Currier said. “Once this thing gets put into place, details are set and its fully funded, people will be able to apply through the BDC.”

Currier is hoping the village will pass what is known as a 485 tax abatement, which is a break for properties with business on the ground floor and residences in the upper floors.

“If we’re serious about getting people to invest … we’ve got to have these programs in place,” Currier said.