Taxes to Rise 2% for Cortlandt Residents Under Puglisi Budget
Town taxes will increase 2% for the majority of Cortlandt property owners under the tentative 2017 budget released last week by Supervisor Linda Puglisi.
If the budget remains intact after review by the town board, 75% of residents in Cortlandt will pay an average of $30.75 more next year. Croton and Buchanan residents will pay only about $2.40 more in town taxes, which represent 12% of a property owner’s overall tax bill. The largest chunk of the bill (69%) is school taxes.
Puglisi, who has led the town for the last 26 years, stressed the budget also comes in under the state mandated tax levy cap.
“I have worked very hard along with our entire team in our government (town board members, department heads and all of our 180 employees) to deliver and maintain a very close to zero percent town tax increase for our taxpayers while at the same time always seeking new ways to improve our services and community,” Puglisi said.
“Over the years, we have had a voluntary and real tax cap in the Town of Cortlandt that has benefited all of our property owners both residential and business owners,” she added. “At the same time we have tripled our town savings (fund balance) and every year produced a surplus. We have never had one year of a deficit and we’ve always had a balanced budget.”
According to Puglisi’s budget package, the town has a fund balance of $11.38 million, which includes surpluses of $8.2 million. Projections for 2017 include $4.35 million in sales tax, $1 million in mortgage tax revenue and $190,000 in state revenue sharing.
The town’s Open Space Account currently stands at $273,581, while its Recreation Fund has a balance of $28,794.
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