By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- The Village Board has slashed about $143,000 from Mayor Tim Currier’s initial tentative budget, bringing the tax levy increase down to 3.25 percent.

“I have identified additional cuts I will propose to trustees at Monday's budget hearing that will amount to slightly more than $ 20,000 in savings,” Currier said. "With these cuts, we will be about $ 33,000 from meeting the tax cap. I am optimistic we will find a way to get this budget under the tax cap."

The trustees opted to take $74,605 from road construction.

“Because of the late spring and the fact we have had two projects carried over from last year, we felt the proposed road construction was too aggressive and we cut two roads from this year's budget,” Currier said.

The board took an additional $17,770 from snow removal.

“Trustees felt we could trim that back some in hopes next winter will not follow the trend of the last two years,” according to Currier.

In addition to that, Currier said a recalculation of the state Police and Fire Retirement line amounted to a $54,414 reduction.

“Until adopted, the budget is a working document, and some numbers are estimates,” Currier said. “Through the process, more firm numbers become available and there are some savings in health insurance and workers compensation that will reduce the tax burden even further.”