By JIMMY LAWTON

CANTON -- St. Lawrence County Board of Legislators adopted a budget that lowers the tax levy by nearly $80,000 to $47.6 million.

For St. Lawrence County property taxpayers that would result in a reduction of about $3 in the county tax bill for someone with property assessed at $100,000. The new rate would drop from $8.39 per $1,000 of assessed property value to $8.36 per $1,000.

The budget is not without cuts. Two full-time equivalent positions are being eliminated in the budget with an estimated savings of $165,960. This was done through attrition and consolidation of duties. The cuts are the net result of abolished and created jobs.

On paper the county eliminated four full-time community services positions, one highway department position and four part-time sheriff’s office jobs.

However, the county also created one full-time community service position, one county clerk position, one information technology position, one treasurer’s office position and four part-time solid waste jobs.

According to information provided by County Administrator Ruth Doyle, the county has improved its overall fund balance by 285 percent in the past three years and currently has an unrestricted balance of $5.3 million. The county’s goal is to end the practice of borrowing money for cash flow within the next two years.

It should be noted however that reduction in the tax levy won’t mean reduced taxes for all county property tax bills. A change in the worker’s compensation distribution formula will create larger chargebacks for taxpayers in some municipalities including Massena and Ogdensburg, which saw substantial increases in costs when the formula was recalculated.

During the budget process Doyle said reduced borrowing was a primary goal.

“Early on in the budget process, the discussion regarding borrowing took place. This is one factor which demonstrates a great deal with regard to financial position of an organization with just one number,” she said. “A review of cash flow demonstrates how this number can fluctuate and at any given time $10 million can be outstanding from New York State. At the September Finance Committee Meeting, a request of the Board of Legislators to authorize a $5 million revenue anticipation note for 2018 was approved. This is a reduction of $4.5 million from a year ago.”

Doyle also said a major change in costs for the county is related to the change made with healthcare administration.

“Through a partnership with the unions, discussions regarding healthcare began in late 2016 and have continued throughout the year.”

Doyle said the county switched third party administrators from Resolve to Excellus with the support of union leadership.

“There were costs associated with one-time buyout with the departure from Resolve. This has provided great temporary relief from the cost of healthcare but we recognize that healthcare is on the rise and will continue to influence the cost of operations as much as salaries,” she said.