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September 8, 2018
suncommunitynews.com
• EDITION •
Mayor urges further cuts in proposed budget No staff cutbacks in early spending plan By Elizabeth Izzo STA FF W RITER
PLATTSBURGH | City of Plattsburgh Mayor Colin Read has released his budget proposal for the 2019 fiscal year. As part of the $59.4 million spending plan — over $3.7 million more than this year’s $55.7 million budget, due in part to state mandates — Read said that there would be no more staff layoffs, though several police and fire department positions are expected to remain vacant, and all departments were directed to cut at least 3 percent of their expenses next year. “I am pleased that, in combination, we were able to meet that pretty difficult goal,” Read told The Sun after a press conference last Friday, noting the work of each department to look at systemic changes in how they can provide the same services, like the Department of Public Works’ inhouse approach to road-paving this season. The end result of expense cuts this year and department abolishments last year, he hopes, will be a $1 million fund balance surplus by the end of 2019, paired with a tax increase below the state cap, at 1.9 percent. That would bring the tax rate from $11.99 per $1,000 in assessed value this year to $12.16 next year. For the average home in the city assessed at $146,600, this means a tax in-
Mayor Colin Read announced his proposed budget for 2019 at a press conference on the city hall steps last Friday.
Photo by Elizabeth Izzo
crease of around $25.
HEADED TO COUNCIL
The mayor’s budget proposal will now be put in the hands of the Plattsburgh Common Council, who will make their
adjustments and are expected to vote on the final budget in the next few weeks. A separate five-year budget outlook, which the mayor used when constructing his plan, was passed by the council in May. » Budget Cont. on pg. 2
County includes Airbnb in updated occupancy tax law
Clinton County will now require a 3 percent tax on short-term vacation rentals By Elizabeth Izzo STA FF W RITER
Another crop of veterans visited the nation’s capital aboard SkyWest Airlines during the latest North Country Honor Flight last weekend. The North Country Honor Flight aims to honor the service of veterans by transporting them to see war memorials in Washington, D.C. Crowds of supporters convened at both Plattsburgh International and Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. last Saturday to honor the veterans’ service. This flight was the first to fly without a veteran of World War II. Organizers have said that they’re nearing the end of their list of Korean War veterans and will soon be taking Vietnam War veterans to Washington. Photo courtesy of North Country Honor Flight
PLATTSBURGH | The Clinton County Legislature last month approved a revised occupancy tax law designed to collect revenue from online travel agencies like Airbnb, and direct some of the revenue to continued development of Plattsburgh International Airport. The local occupancy tax law, which allows the county to collect a 3 percent tax on the rate of each room rented here, is renewed every three years. The revenue from the tax directs funds in part to the North Country Chamber of Commerce for marketing
to boost tourism. The county also keeps a portion, 15 percent of which is used to incentivize new airlines to establish service at Plattsburgh International. “It’s working, it’s doing good stuff,” North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas said about the occupancy tax, just a few hours after the first United flight from Washington, D.C. landed at the airport. Douglas said there’s a “very real connection” between development at the airport and tourism, and by adding online travel agencies to the law, it will effectively expand revenue for both the county and the local chamber. » Occupancy tax Cont. on pg. 4
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