By ADAM ATKINSON

North Country Now

CANTON -- The town board passed their 2019 budget at a Wednesday, Nov. 14 meeting.

“I’m very proud of the process that happened,” said Town Supervisor Mary Ann Ashley. “The departments really worked hard.”

The $2.77 million budget will raise the tax rate slightly to $2.65 per $1,000 of assessed property value from $2.59 in 2018.

Total assessed property value in the town is $377,936,619 in 2019 (up from $374,754,344 in 2018), which somewhat helps offset the rate per $1,000 increase.

The budget stays below the state tax cap.

The amount to be raised by taxes is $1,001,532. This compares to a $975,232 tax levy in 2018.

Copies of the 2019 tentative budget which features a line by line breakdown of expenses can be found on the town’s website at https://cantonny.gov/2018/10/town-2019-tentative-budget/, and at the clerk’s office.

Salaries for the elected officials are as follows: town supervisor $15,504, highway superintendent $31,836, town clerk $41,328, four town council members $5,322, and town justice $28,652. An additional $1,500 for the deputy supervisor position was added to the budget following the public hearing Nov. 7. The position is held by a councilmember and appointed by the supervisor.