Published: October 23, 2007 01:55 pm         

ALBION: Town budget has tax decrease

ALBION — Town of Albion residents can expect their 2008 taxes to be nearly identical to what they paid last year, said Town Board Member Timothy A. Neilans.

The proposed budget indicates a decrease of 13 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, which will be voted on by the board at 6 p.m. at the Nov. 12 meeting.

“We’re trying to be very consistent with the taxpayers’ dollars,” Neilans said. “We’re trying very diligently to have the taxes be roughly the same for 2008.”

Board member Judy Koehler said the board has proposed a 3 percent raise for all town staff, including Town Clerk Sarah Basinait, Highway Superintendent Jed Standish, Justice Clerk Denise Cornick and Code Enforcement Officer Duane Delamarter. They will not raise the town board members’ yearly stipend of $3,396 or Town Supervisor Eugene Christopher’s yearly stipend of $5,450.

Neilans said the board is still making a decision on salaries for town justices Kevin Howard and Dennis Stirk.

“We want to make sure we’re paying them comparable to what other justices are being paid for this size area,” Neilans said.

The 2008 budget also addresses the need for additional security guards at Town Court proceedings.

The town absorbed the Village of Albion’s court proceedings last year when the village court closed, Neilans said. By law, the village was not mandated to have a court system. The town’s caseload increased threefold, and Howard was hired to facilitate the transition.

“We want to make sure we’re being proactive, not reactive, for next year to make sure the public is safe,” Neilans said. “We definitely want to watch the court system closely to make sure we have enough security.”

For a complete copy of the proposed 2008 budget, contact the town clerk at 589-7048.

Contact reporter Nicole Coleman at 798-1400, ext. 2227.