By Dan Miner/minerd@gnnewspaper.com
Members of North Tonawanda’s Common Council plan to cut into the 7 percent tax increase proposed by Mayor Larry Soos in his 2008 budget, though they aren’t sure by how much.
“When you compare (our budget) to the mayor’s budget, this is one that’s more cost-effective,” Council President Brett Sommer said. “We’ll be able to present a budget that is more fiscally in tune with what people want.”
The council met after Tuesday’s regular meeting to discuss the proposed budget, and among other things, announced that they’ve decided to allow the reinstatement of the mayor’s secretary, a position which the council had removed in September 2006 amidst much public controversy.
“The general consensus was we had bigger issues to fight right now,” Sommer said. “We want the discussion to be about the tax increase and projects like the RV park.”
The RV park Sommer was referring to, proposed for Gratwick-Riverside Park, will officially be given no funding in the budget, Sommer said. Instead, most of the $750,000 originally in the budget proposed by Soos for the park will be used to fix the nearly 100 year old water line under Payne Avenue.
“It’s a project the head of our wastewater department said desperately needs to be done,” Sommer said.
The council also plans to approve the hiring of a part-time electrical inspector for $20,000 per year, with the hopes that the position will actually generate revenue.
“We can make money with our own inspector,” Building Inspector Cosimo Capozzi said at the meeting. “This is an opportunity.”
The council will meet on Sept. 11 to decide whether to approve or reject the budget, Sommer said. It has until Sept. 15 to do so. But first there will be a public hearing on Sept. 4 at City Hall to hear public input on the proposal.
