Tax Increase Proposed for Village of Greendale Homeowners

The Greendale Village Board of Trustees took its first look at the proposed village budget for 2013 at last night’s Committee of the Whole meeting.

The budget calls for an increase of 1.2 percent in the tax levy, from $9,100,543 to $9,209,750, resulting in an estimated $.06 or .87% increase in the tax rate, from $7.72 to $7.78, per $1,000 of assessed value.

Assuming that the assessment stays the same in 2012 on an average Greendale home, estimated at $201,272,  the budget’s impact on that home will mean that their village taxes will increase by $13.45 to $1,567.56 from $1,554.11, according to a memo from Village Manager Todd Michaels.

Michaels detailed key points of the roughly $14 million budget, including savings in employee and retiree benefit costs for the village as allowed by the state’s budget bills, Act 10 and 32.

“We are realizing significant savings by switching out of the state plan this year. We’re going to save approximately $490,000 versus what our renewal would have been, and about $185,000 budget-wise,” Michaels said. Employees will still pay a 12 percent co-pay for their health insurance once they change plans.

The budget also includes a one percent raise for non-union village employees. Michael’s memo notes that most village employees received no wage increase for 2011.

Other proposed budget changes for 2013 include:

• $20,000 for training of department heads in efficiency and cost saving methods. The management training proposed guarantees savings greater than the cost of the program, Michaels said.
• Adding the position of deputy treasurer at a cost of $85,000 to improve the operation of the clerk-treasurer’s office.
• Providing funding for the new Fire Department Paramedic Program. So far, Michaels said, two shifts of firefighters have been trained and the program is expected to be fully operational in 2013.
• Reducing the days the Recycling Center is open from six to four days per week, closing on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and saving $20,000. Additionally, the village is evaluating its refuse and recycling program and plans significant changes in 2013, according to Michaels’ memo.

Capital improvements of $1.1 million are proposed for 2013, including $230,000 for building repair and improvements – $125,000 for the foundation of the Multipurpose Building and $65,000 for the Safety Center.

Other capital improvements include $530,000 for the continuation of the annual street rehabilitation program – sealing cracks, planting trees and replacing sidewalks – and $300,000 for repair of the village’s aging street light system.

Even with the proposed expenses for 2013, the capital improvements budget is down $442,000 from last year, Michaels said.

The board will meet next week Tuesday, Oct. 30, at 6:30 p.m. to further review the budget, with final adoption slated for November or early December.