BY ADAM ATKINSONNorth Country This Week

POTSDAM — Although the numbers have yet to be finalized, town tax payers could see a slight increase in their tax rates in 2025.

Town officials are currently holding work sessions to hash out the final numbers for the budget but a tentative budget for the coming year shows an increase to $1.93 per $1,000 of assessed property value for the town’s general fund.

This is a jump from the 2024 adopted budget of $1.72 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Total tax levy is also expected to increase for the general fund with the town projecting a collection of $1,141,722 in 2025, a jump from the current year’s levy of $1,009,656.21.

The increases will help cover a hike in total appropriations the town is expecting in 2025.

Appropriations for the 2025 general fund in the tentative budget are projected to be $2,027,022, up from the current year’s $1,995,356.21 million.

The town board, supervisor and department heads are expecting about a $22,500 jump in employee retirement costs, a $3,800 jump in hospital insurance for employees, and a $55,000 jump in the town’s contingency fund under special items.

Salary increases for town officials are forecasted in the 2025 fiscal plan, including a $1,500 jump for the town clerk, $1,395 for the deputy town clerk, $1,050 for the town custodian, $2,125 for the town highway superintendent, $4,420 for the town assessor, $1,515 for the assessor clerk, $10,000 for the town supervisor, $1,175 for the supervisor’s confidential secretary, $1,395 for the deputy court clerk and $1,520 for the town court clerk.

Drops in expenses for the town’s general fund for the coming year include: a salary reduction for the supervisor’s bookkeeper to $25,000 from $43,260, a $13,000 drop for a data collector for the assessor’s office, a $30,000 drop on the grant line under the special items section of the budget, and a $10,000 decrease for software.

Under the 2025 plan, the town is also budgeting $200,000 again for the town-wide tax revaluation to hire outside firm GAR Associates.

Besides taxes, the town’s total revenues to cover 2025 appropriations do not yet add in a $300,000 appropriated fund balance that town officials used to balance things in 2024. So expected revenues outside of taxes are lower for 2025 than the current year at this point. However, all of the numbers listed above are subject to change as town officials hone down the general fund budget.

Highway budgets

The town is also working out its 2025 Highway DA budget.

This budget features an increase in total appropriations expected at $1,091,053 in 2025 versus $1,076,850 in 2024.

However, thanks to an expected increase in revenues, the tax levy is expected to drop to $985,053 from $995,850.51. The tax rate is similarly anticipated to drop to 1.67 from 1.7.

The town’s Highway DB budget also anticipates an increase in appropriations at $1,416,530.48 in 2025, versus $1,371,091.53 in 2024.

Those appropriations are covered by incoming revenues, and taxes won’t be levied.

Other budgets

Besides the general fund and town highway budgets, the town also is mulling over its budgets for:

• Town Outside which shows a drop of a few thousand dollars in total appropriations and is covered by incoming revenues, not taxes.
• Potsdam, Hannawa, West Potsdam and Norwood fire contracts. These feature a slight decrease in the tax levy in 2025 at $358,500, down from $363,400 in the current year. The 2025 tax rate for the fire budgets is currently estimated to be $1.109 per $1,000 of assessed property value, down from $1.126 for 2024.
• Hewittville and Sissonville lighting districts which are covered by the residents living in the districts.
• The town’s sewer budget which features a slight increase in appropriations at $33,747.81, up from $33,402.06 in the current year. A tax levy of $18,387.81 will help pay for the budget, down slightly from the current year.
• The water budget for the town also features a slight increase in appropriations in the 2025 plan at $26,000, up from $25,500 in 2024. The tax levy in 2025 is expected to be down slightly at $18,120 from $19,600 in 2024.
• The town’s Route 56 Sewer District budget features an increase to $63,968 in 2025 versus $25,710 in 2024. The appropriations are covered by the town’s debt service bond it has secured to cover the district’s cost until grant funding and fees can be applied in the future.
• And, the town’s Route 56 Water District. The appropriations for this district are expected to be $63,968, up from the $25,710 in 2024. Again, these expenses are covered by the town’s debt service bond it has secured.

The town is expected to hold other work sessions to zero in on the budget numbers. Once the tentative budget is approved as a preliminary budget, the town will host a public hearing before finally passing the 2025 plan.

The village is mandated to pass the budget by Thursday, Nov. 7.