Updated at 4:11 p.m.

By JIMMY LAWTON

OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority Board Member and city resident Doug Loffler raised concerns regarding the city budget Monday.

Loffler, who is also a former city council member, said the community cannot afford a $3.58 increase in the tax rates. He said many residents just received major hikes in their assessments and a large hike in the rate would be crippling.

At a previous meeting Loffler called on the council to make a long-term plan to figure out how to get the city’s finances in order.

Ogdensburg city councilors are still in the budgeting process and are hoping to trim more than half a million dollars from the budget before it’s approved.

Loffler also raised concerns about a move by the Ogdensburg Growth Fund that forgave $200,000 in debt for the city. He questioned if there were any conflicts of interest, since former councilors are affiliated with the Growth Fund.

“Is the Growth Fund doing this for businesses?” he asked. “There might be a conflict of interest there,” he said.

He also questioned the city’s decision to move money from the water and sewer fund to offset costs of the Paterson Street project. He said hikes have been implemented in recent years and called the spending dangerous.

Loffler said he would continue to follow the budget processes closely. He said the city can’t afford a 20 percent increase in the tax rate, but added that even if the city is able to make significant cuts this year, the situation is likely to be worse in 2017.

“What are you going to do next year?" He asked.

Ogdensburg councilors amended the preliminary budget Monday to a new plan that would raise property taxes by $3.58 from $17.36 to $20.94 per $1,000 of assessed value.