By LOHR McKINSTRY
Staff Writer
April 01, 2008 04:00 am
—
ELIZABETHTOWN -- It's been a harsh winter, but Essex County has decided to give towns a little less of a promised incentive to remove snow and ice from county roads.
After first agreeing to pay each town 25 percent more, the County Board of Supervisors lopped 5 percent off that Monday and settled on 20 percent.
A final vote is at 10 a.m. next Monday at supervisors chambers in Elizabethtown.
BUDGET CONCERNS
Supervisor Thomas Scozzafava (R-Moriah) said the county is strapped for cash and can't afford the 25-percent incentive.
"Even though we have a healthy fund balance, I am somewhat concerned. The sales tax is dropping; it's about $4,000 right now less than last year."
He said the extra money will be paid by taxpayers no matter who pays it.
"We have shifted this burden from the town to the county. I do support this reimbursement because of the difficulty every town has had this winter."
He said the Moriah Town Highway Department went 22 percent over last year's costs this winter.
Scozzafava said the money could be paid to towns from the county's unexpended fund balance from last year, but 20 percent would better maintain their cash reserves.
"I believe that would be a fair reimbursement to the municipality. It keeps a healthy fund balance" for the county.
Supervisor Daniel Connell (D-Westport) said he also believes 20 percent is better than 25.
"It's all coming from the taxpayers, no matter how we do it. I totally agree" with 20 percent.
Supervisor Dale French (R-Crown Point) said the new state budget has many cuts in it for counties.
"With the state budget the way it is, I agree" with 20 percent.
SUPPORT FOR TOWNS
Supervisor Joyce Morency (R-St. Armand) said towns like hers are losing money now on their county road contracts.
"I don't feel the towns should subsidize the county. It should stop here."
Supervisor Robert C. Dedrick (R-Ticonderoga) also supported the full 25 percent that had been promised in committee.
"I talked with my highway superintendent. If we are out 25 percent, we should be getting back 25 percent. Our town is already paying 25 percent more" for plowing county roads.
Supervisor George Canon (R-Newcomb) told his fellow lawmakers it will balance out when there are milder years for snowfall.
"When there was money left over, we didn't say, Here it is back.'"
Supervisor Rob Dobie (D-North Hudson) told them he tried that.
"We did offer to return money one year, and the county didn't want it."
Dobie and Dedrick were the only supervisors to vote against reducing the incentive to 20 percent, but the vote on the incentive itself passed unanimously.
BASED ON MILES
The county pays its snowbelt towns $4,600 a mile annually to remove snow and ice from county roads, and non-snowbelt towns get $4,100 a mile.
The 20-percent incentive will give towns varying amounts, ranging from a high of $26,500 for Crown Point to a low of $5,360 in Lewis. Crown Point has 28.7 miles of county roads, while Lewis has only 5.8 miles.
lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com
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