No Sullivan property tax increase in 2008

New budgeting system moving forward

By FRITZ MAYER

MONTICELLO, NY — With legislative elections just a couple of weeks away, Sullivan County Manager David Fanslau announced that he will not seek a property tax increase for 2008.

At a meeting of the management and budget committee on October 11, Fanslau said he will file the tentative county budget by November 15, as required by law, and he would not ask for a tax increase. In May, Fanslau and county legislators worked out a deal with state senator John Bonacic, in which they promised not to seek a property tax increase for at least two years, except in the case of a natural disaster. In return for that promise, Bonacic agreed to drop his opposition to a half percent increase in the county sales tax.

At the October 11 meeting, Fanslau also said the county will be moving forward with a change to performance-based budgeting, which will require county departments and outside agencies to reach performance benchmarks in order to receive funding in subsequent years.

“This type of budgeting makes very plain to not only the departments themselves, but the taxpayers as well, the expectations and goals the legislature and my office have for specific areas of our government,” said Fanslau.

Legislator Jonathan Rouis, chairman of the committee, said, “This new budget process illustrates this legislature’s commitment to a more fiscally responsible government, and to ensuring that we are spending taxpayer dollars as efficiently as possible, while holding the line on property taxes.”

Room Tax

In other business regarding the county budget and revenues, county treasurer Ira Cohen told lawmakers that the county had collected the first revenues from the increased room tax. (The room tax was raised from two percent to five percent in June, when the sales tax was increased from 7.5 percent to 8.0 percent.)

The room tax received in September, which represents revenues from June through August, was $311,801.99. The room tax collected for the same period last year was $124,210.55.