OGDENSBURG – Sales tax receipts are down by about $2,838 compared to last year, but the city comptroller says he expects they will show an increase by the end of April.

In a public update to city council Comptroller Tim Johnson said the receipts were at about 99.5 percent of last year’s collection. If that hold’s true, the city’s collections should be ahead of the budgeted amount.

In 2016 Ogdensburg officials over estimated revenues for sales tax and use by $247,871.

Following a steep hike in the tax rate, the city has been diligently tracking expenses to reduce the number of budget shortfalls.

In other good news for the city, the comptroller reported that Health Insurance costs are down by $370,515, running 55.57 percent of last years’ amount.

“This is primarily due to classifying expenditures for year 2016 that were paid in January 2017 of about $171,408,” the report said. “However even factoring this adjustment, all three months of the first quarter of 2017 are still less than last year.”

Ogdensburg City Council will meet again at 7 p.m. Monday.