MASSENA -- The Massena Town Council on Nov. 5 approved a 2014 budget that calls for just under a 1.5-percent tax increase. Although the tax levy has gone up from last year, spending in all areas has gone down.

Massena residents inside the village will be taxed $4.30 per every $1,000 of assessed value. This means the owner of a $50,000 home will pay $215 in taxes and the owner of a $100,000 home will pay $430. That is a 1.4 percent increase over last year.

The rate outside the village will be slightly higher, $4.68 per every $1,000. A $50,000 home will be taxed $234 and a $100,000 home will be taxed $468.

The total tax levy is $2,427,368.89. That was dropped by $62,051.36 from the tentative budget presented in early October. The 2015 levy represents a $50,038.59 increase over last year.

The town will draw $519,891.23 from the fund balance for the new spending plan. Last year, the budget took about $603,000 from the unexpended reserves.

Overall spending will total $8,402,129.12, which is $144.423.50 below the initial proposed financial blueprint.

The general fund will cost $4,062,542.76, which is down $63,923.50 from last year.

The 2015 highway budget totals $1,816,278.36, a $55,000 decrease from the previous year.

Fire protection remains flat at least year's rate, $82,000.

The Massena Public Library's budget is $694,308, down $25,500 from 2014.