About a five percent tax increase.
That's what the Town of Vestal's tax increase is down to for next year.
And, Supervisor Pete Andreasen is hopeful it will end below five percent.
The challenge - more people out of work plus less people spending money equals a significant decrease in the amount of sales tax revenue Vestal will likely get next year.
It's projecting losing about 600-thousand dollars in sales tax money.
Add in loss of revenue in other areas and having to pay more for pension and health insurance and originally the tax increase was about four times what it is now.
Andreasen says, "These are times that we have never seen before. From that standpoint we will continue to pull things out right up until the 18th. As I showed, we've already cut positions. We've cut the heart out of a couple of departments, there's nothing left. The people are there, the wages are there. Some we've cut equipment."
Some cost cutting measures include reducing museum hours and not giving raises unless the town is contractually obligated to.
Other areas being looked at include cutting some recreational programs, and looking at the idea of closing two mostly unused town parks - Magnolia Park and a park in the woods near Ross Park Christian Academy.
The town could also save money if it cuts its Vestal days festival, although no decision has been made on that yet.
