There were 37 resolutions the Town Board had to vote on before voting on the 2008 budget. During Monday’s budget session money was added and money was taken out of this confusing budget.

Council member Ward submitted a resolution which would create a $500,000 contingency fund in the event the Town faces unforeseen emergencies. The fund balance, which would have been the money source for such emergencies, was lowered when the Supervisor took 6.5 million out and transferred it to the revenue side of the Town budget ledger to help balance town spending and it lack of sufficient revenue.

The actual total of the 2008 budget isn’t known at this time. A good guess is it’s between $115 million and $116 million. The tax levy will roughly drop by 1.5% to 2.5%.

The Comptroller pointed out that the Highway Department needs $500,000 more added to their budget to pay the Highway Department’s workers their Retro pay for the last 2 years.

The Supervisor’s request for a Superintendent for the Waste Water Treatment Plant and a centralized Purchasing Agent passed.

Dr. Mohan wasn’t happy with the Republican controlled Town Board’s generous spending the taxpayer’s money. The budget was passed by 4 Republican Town Board members without any knowledge of its final cost or what the tax levy will be for the Amherst taxpayer.

Our town now has a budget which the Republican block on our Town Board passed with the exception of Republican Shelly Schratz.

The 4 members of the Town Board who voted to accept the budget were Republicans Mohan, McGuire, Kindel and O’Loughlin.

The 3 Town Board members who voted against the budget were Shelly Schratz(R), Dan Ward(D), and Debbie Bucki(D).

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