Property Tax Summary for Village of Saugerties Property Owners - 2007 to 2017

Tax Bill $200,000 assessment	2007 Bill	2017 Bill	$ Increase	% Increase	Ave. Increase	CPI**
Town A	$500*	$802	$302	60.3%	6.0%	1.67%
Village	$1,478	$1,272	-$206	-13.9%	-1.4%	1.67%
Ambulance	$51	$82	$31	60.9%	6.1%	1.67%
Library	$38	$113	$75	197.9%	19.8%	1.67%
County	$752	$871	$120	15.9%	1.6%	1.67%
School	$2,267	$3,429	$1,162	51.3%	5.1%	1.67%
TOTAL	$5,085	$6,569	$1,483	29.2%	2.9%	1.67%

*Estimate

**CPI is the average rate of inflation from 2007-2016.

The average Village homeowner is paying $1,483 more in taxes compared to ten years ago.

NOTE - Highway & Fire Prevention services are included in the Village budget.  The Police Merger occurred in 2011 & Village residents are billed from the town wide General Fund. 

How Much Have Saugerties Property Taxes Gone Up in the Last Decade?

Town & County property tax bills will be hitting Saugerties mailboxes soon & below is a table and charts showing town wide property taxes in 2017 as compared to 2007.

The table shows how much property taxes a typical Saugerties homeowner  outside the Village ($200,000 assessment) paid in 2007 and 2017.  Village taxes and special districts are excluded - except for the Library & Diaz Ambulance which are assessed town wide.  The average annual rate of inflation from 2007 to 2016 is 1.67%.  

The average Saugerties property owner (outside of Village) is paying $1,763 more in town wide taxes since 2007.

Non-Village Resident

Tax Bill	2007 Tax Bill	2017 Tax Bill	$ Increase	% Increase	Ave. Increase	CPI**
Town A&B	$531.26	$838.27	$307.00	57.8%	5.8%	1.67%
Highway	$344.29	$412.66	$68.37	19.9%	2.0%	1.67%
Ambulance	$50.78	$81.68	$30.90	60.8%	6.1%	1.67%
Library	$38.04	$113.31	$75.28	197.9%	19.8%	1.67%
County	$751.83	$871.33	$119.50	15.9%	1.6%	1.67%
School	$2,266.68	$3,428.53	$1,161.85	51.3%	5.1%	1.67%
TOTAL	$3,983	$5,745.78	$1,762.89	44.3%	4.4%	1.67%

* Note - The 2017 Library totals include a charge of $53.31 for the New Library Bond.
**CPI is the average rate of inflation from 2007-2016.


The charts show the percentage breakdown of the total town wide property taxes paid by category.

Summary of 2017 Saugerties Town Budget

The Town of Saugerties adopted the 2017 budget, which exceeds the State tax cap, by a 4-1 vote.  The budget will increase property taxes for village residents by 4.6% and by 3.5% for town residents.  Property taxes for the General Fund, controlled by the Town Board, will increase by 4%. 

The most controversial changes were 10% cuts to the Boys & Girls Club & Historical Society. Town officials said funding to these groups may be phased-out over a 10-year period. 

SUMMER REC PROGRAM FACING EXTINCTION

The Board added $33,500 to the revenue line for the Summer Recreation Program to eliminate an expected deficit.  This program has been losing money for several years.  Town officials said the program may be cut by the Board in 2017 if the deficit cannot be offset by new, non-property tax revenues.  Or, the Board can decide next year to keep the program & absorb the loss - which would be a back door tax increase. 

The Board made adjustments to the tentative budget which had a total budget impact of $115,800 - $80,000 of which came from positive adjustment of retirement expenses.  The Board offset Police spending by $50,000 to account for an increase in employee benefits.  

Budget highlights include (Note -Saugerties residents will pay different tax amounts depending on the special taxing districts where they live):

• Police - Spending up 3.1%, Police Payroll up 4.3%
• Diaz Ambulance - property taxes up 19%.  Diaz is a separate taxing district but counts against the tax cap.  Town officials attribute increase to decrease in Obamacare reimbursements.
• Parks - Spending down 1.6%, Town Board did not fill vacancies
• Building & Grounds - Spending Up 1.7%
• Highway - Property Taxes up 1.3%
• Health Insurance - Spending Up 28.7%
• Transfer Station - Spending down 9.6%

To view the 2017 budget, click here.

Fiscal Stress Scores - How Does Saugerties Rate?

The State Comptroller's Office released its report on municipal and school district fiscal stress scores for 2015.  See below for how the town and school district rate.  

TOWN OF SAUGERTIES

This year, the town was removed from the "Susceptible" Fiscal Stress List to "no designation." However, Saugerties had the third highest stress score for municipalities in Ulster County and the highest average score over the past three years.

			1 Year	2 Years	3 yr.
Town	Designation	Current %	Prior %	Prior %	Ave.  %
Rochester	Susceptible	54.2	57.5	35	48.9
Shandaken	None	44.2	31.7	28.8	34.9
Saugerties	None	40.8	60.8	50.8	50.8
Olive	None	25	25	25	25.0
City of Kingston	None	15.8	31.7	25.4	24.3
Lloyd	None	14.2	6.7	6.7	9.2
Rosendale	None	9	22.1	3.3	11.5
Gardiner	None	6.7	3.3	8.3	6.1
Plattekill	None	6.7	3.3	3.3	4.4
Wawarsing	None	6.7	10	6.7	7.8
Woodstock	None	6.7	3.3	0	3.3
Esopus	None	3.3	0	0	1.1
Marbletown	None	3.3	3.3	0	2.2
New Paltz	None	3.3	3.3	0	2.2
Hurley	None	0	3.3	6.7	3.3
Shawangunk	None	0	6.3	3.3	3.2
Ulster	None	0	0	0	0.0
Marlborough	xxx		5	1.7	2.2

SAUGERTIES SCHOOL DISTRICT 

			1 Year	2 Years	3 yr.
District	Designation	Current	Prior	Prior	Average
New Paltz	Moderate	58.3	50	30	46.1
Ellenville	None	20	20	6.7	15.6
Saugerties	None	8.3	8.3	8.3	8.3
Highland	None	8.3	16.7	30	18.3
Kingston	None	6.7	6.7	6.7	6.7
Onteora	None	6.7	20	0	8.9
Marlboro	None	6.7	6.7	23	12.1
Rondout	None	0	6.7	13.3	6.7
Wallkill	None	0	0	0	0.0

SCORES KEY

Signficant Stress	65-100
Moderate	55-64.9
Susceptible	45-54.9
No Designation	0-44.9

To view OSC Fiscal Stress Scores, click here.