Otsego County proposed budget includes tax increase and job cuts
By: Chelsea Rarrick
Updated: November 19, 2012
Fly Creek resident, Caroline Harter doesn't want to see her taxes go up.
But as an Otsego County resident, she could be looking at 1.97% tax increase.
"It's threatening to think in terms of it going up 2%," she said.
Along with that increase, County Treasurer, Dan Crowell is looking to eliminate eight county positions in the 2013 proposed budget.
Crowell says some of these factors have come from the increase to keep up the Otsego Manor nursing home with a budget operating gap that's gone up around $2 million since last year.
The nursing home will stay the way it is for 2013, but the money to fund it affects this year's budget.
"It's displacing the services that we provide in other areas," said Crowell. "Because of the cost associated with the nursing home, we have to look for other areas where we're not required as we are at the nursing home, we have to provide that patient care."
Patricia Thorpe has owned property in Otsego County since 1972.
She says she understands that tax hikes happen, but when it comes to the nursing home, she says she'd rather continue having cuts instead of losing the manor in the future.
"This is an area with a continually aging population and a very poor population and they need this facility," she said.
And although Harter isn't a fan of a tax increase, she agrees with Thorpe on saving the nursing home.
"We have so much invested in that home. It would seem as though there might be some way to not throw the baby out with the bathwater," she said. "We are going to have to bite the bullet, there's no way around it."
Crowell is encouraging residents to come out to the public hearing on November 28th to express any opinions on the budget.
But as an Otsego County resident, she could be looking at 1.97% tax increase.
"It's threatening to think in terms of it going up 2%," she said.
Along with that increase, County Treasurer, Dan Crowell is looking to eliminate eight county positions in the 2013 proposed budget.
Crowell says some of these factors have come from the increase to keep up the Otsego Manor nursing home with a budget operating gap that's gone up around $2 million since last year.
The nursing home will stay the way it is for 2013, but the money to fund it affects this year's budget.
"It's displacing the services that we provide in other areas," said Crowell. "Because of the cost associated with the nursing home, we have to look for other areas where we're not required as we are at the nursing home, we have to provide that patient care."
Patricia Thorpe has owned property in Otsego County since 1972.
She says she understands that tax hikes happen, but when it comes to the nursing home, she says she'd rather continue having cuts instead of losing the manor in the future.
"This is an area with a continually aging population and a very poor population and they need this facility," she said.
And although Harter isn't a fan of a tax increase, she agrees with Thorpe on saving the nursing home.
"We have so much invested in that home. It would seem as though there might be some way to not throw the baby out with the bathwater," she said. "We are going to have to bite the bullet, there's no way around it."
Crowell is encouraging residents to come out to the public hearing on November 28th to express any opinions on the budget.
