Killington
posted
Jan 31, 2013
Funds town priorities without raising taxes for third
consecutive year
On Tuesday, Jan. 22 the Selectboard passed the Town of
Killington's budget for the 2013 fiscal year. With a slight
reduction in General Fund expenses, the budget calls for total
spending and revenues of $5,093,080, which includes general fund
and final flood recovery costs as well as one-time allocations of
undesignated, unspent funds.
"Despite rising costs and lower property tax revenues, this
budget proposal level funds the operating expenses and addresses
the Town's priorities without increasing taxes," said Chris
Bianchi, board chairman. "We have held many additional budget
meetings during the last few months to ensure we have a proposal
that accomplishes the goals of the board. The unanimous vote is
reflective of a willingness to compromise and work together."
In 2012, expenses from Tropical Storm Irene forced the Town to
start the year with an operating deficit. Coupled with the
largest golf course debt payment to date and rising cost of doing
business, there was unprecedented pressure on the municipal
budget.
Responding to these challenges, the town reorganized its
priorities, making cuts, aggressively pursuing federal and state
funds, and tapping unspent, undesignated 1% revenues.
Effective planning and hard work in 2012 paid off. The Town
covered all its costs without raising taxes or incurring additional
debt, and is set to begin 2013 with an operating surplus.
Despite the increase cost of doing business, the budget calls
for no increase in the General Fund. Highlights of the 2013
budget proposal include:
- Investing in energy
efficiency projects that will reduce long-term operating
costs;
- Fully funding important
public safety departments to help them deal with increased
operating and capital costs;
- Replenishing the Highway
capital funds tapped for Irene recovery to ensure the roads are
well maintained in years to come;
- Improving the appearance of
the commercial district with short-term investments in landscaping
and longer term funding for capital projects and planning;
- Supporting events like the
Stage Race, Spartan Race, Cooler in the Mountains Concert Series
and others for less overall cost;
- Increasing allocations for
E-Books at the Sherburne Library;
- Maintaining an active and
growing Recreation Program and expanding our trail network;
- Reducing the size of
government; doing the same or more work with fewer full-time
staff;
- Helping employees keep pace
with the rising cost of living;
- Fully addressing all of the
Town's debt obligations;
- Setting aside an additional
$217,500 of undesignated funds into a restricted fund to further
reduce the Golf debt liability and address the $1.1 million balloon
payment in 2022
- Purchasing a Generator to
power the school in case of emergency or disasters;
Killington's budget supports the principals of the Strategic
Operating Plan that the Board adopted earlier this spring. The
budget can be found online at www.killingtontown.com. The
Selectboard will hold an informational meeting about the budget and
all Town Meeting Ballot initiatives on Monday, March 4. Voters will
be asked to approve the budget on Town Meeting Day, Tuesday, March
5.
