MASSENA -- The proposed 2016-17 town budget will raise taxes by $248,047 and raise the tax rate by 45 cents per $1,000 of assessed value townwide.

The total tax levy will be $2,002,668.42, up from $1,754,621.66 last year.

The tax rate this year will be $4.88 inside the village and $5.27 outside the village, each up 45 cents from last year.

That means the owner of a $50,000 property inside the village will pay $244 in taxes and the owner of a $100,000 property will pay $488. Outside the village, a $50,000 property would be taxed $263.50 and a $100,000 property $527.

“This 2017 Town of Massena Budget as put together by Bookkeeper/Budget Officer Nancy Fregoe and I is a challenging spending plan that really does not give any department or community organization everything they want. Unfortunately, it will give the Massena Taxpayers something they most likely do not want – a higher tax bill,” Town Supervisor Joseph Gray said in a prepared budget statement. “I do not propose a tax increase lightly or with no regard for the tax-paying public, but if we are going to maintain services at the level to which we are accustomed, we must raise taxes. In fact, in previous years I have discouraged the Town Council’s continuous pursuit of a budget that does not raise taxes.”

Town spending would total $9,759,236.15, a $2,668,024.81 increase over last year.

Most of the proposed increase is for capital projects, which in the proposed budget is $2,502,169 compared to $381,000 last year. That money will go toward a new snowplow truck, taxiway rehabilitation and drainage and parking lot improvements at Massena International Airport. Some of the cost will be covered by grants anticipated next year.

Total proposed general fund spending is $4,728,850.46, up from $4,145,757.64 last year. Of that, $361,643.58 would come from fund balance. The casino compact will generate $600,000 in anticipated general fund revenue. Among other things, it will cover the town’s contribution to the Massena Chamber of Commerce and the Business Development Corporation.

Sales tax revenue is not included in the proposal. Town Supervisor Joseph Gray said he anticipates $520,000, which will be used to eliminate property taxes.

Gray wants to put an extra $7,500 into the tourism and promotion budget, bringing it to $50,000. He argues that using the cash to bring fishing tournaments and shows to the area boosts the local economy.

“The reason the BASS Elite series first started coming to the St. Lawrence River resulted from the Town Council’s decision to spend money on the creation of the FISHCAP effort,” Gray said. “We have seen numerous television fishing shows recorded here. This weekend the Town is hosting a bass fishing tournament. Thus, I feel very strongly that we must continue, and actually increase, these efforts.”

The highway proposed budget went down, to $1,675,577.39 from $1,713,398.76 last year. That proposal includes using $100,000 in fund balance. They are leasing some new equipment, which will be paid in part with $78,437 from the casino compact. Another $210,375 from the compact and an extra $23,000 from sales tax will help pay for highway reconstruction next year, which Gray says will not create additional tax burden.

The library budget would increase slightly, to $770,639.30 from $764,054.94 last year. They are looking at using $28,000 in fund balance. Gray says the only significant increase in their spending is an extra $12,956 increase in salaries, but he dropped their books and periodicals and supplies spending by $15,000 which he says will leave them “more than adequate funds to operate.”

The proposed fire protection budget went down slightly, to $82,000 from $87,000 last year.

He said they opted for a slight tax increase, rather than several years of no tax increase and then needing to raise them significantly in a single year to make up.

“This budget is neither frivolous nor extravagant. Additionally, because we have all but depleted fund balances pursuing negligible tax increases, we do not have significant surplus funds to apply to 2017,” Gray said. “This spending plan does include the use of more than $100,000 revenues generated by the town-owned Rescue Squad to offset the tax rate increase.”

The town will hold budget hearings on Wednesdays through Nov. 2. Town Bookkeeper Nancy Fregoe said the sessions are for organizations to discuss budget requests, but some of them may not be necessary, which will depend if the board alters any of their budgets on Oct. 12.

Tentatively, they will hold an Oct. 12 meeting at 5:30 p.m. to discuss the highway, airport, library and rescue squad budgets. Oct. 19 at 5 p.m. before the regular Town Council meeting, they are planning to hear from the Massena Senior Citizens, BDC and Humane Society. The Chamber of Commerce will get their say Oct 26 at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 2 will be a public hearing on the preliminary budget. All will be in the Town Hall’s second floor boardroom.