REGIONAL – As if Halloween and Election Day weren't enough, our local towns are also in the midst of their annual budget season, which many see as the key responsibility of municipalities on the local level. Earlier this week, Preliminary Budgets were due, to be available for public perusal so they can have one last chance to be whittled down into final budgets following public hearings scheduled to take place after Election Day, but before the whole thing has to be submitted to county real property directors by November 21.

How are things looking at this stage? Pretty good, it appears.

In Wawarsing, supervisor Leonard Distel says that the town board has not only met the mandated 2.6 percent tax levy cap formulated for the town, but blew it out of the water with a projected cap decrease of three percent... a difference of $220,804. The total funds to be raised by taxes in 2014 stood at $8,373,807 and for 2015 the figure is $6,516,101 — a significant decrease and well below the two percent tax cap goal of $6,736,905. Current figures point to a difference in taxes from 2014 to 2015 to end up as a slight increase from $2,745,576 to $2,770,848, or a 0.92 percent increase.

While a few figures are still in the works, such as the ambulance budget, the work is all but wrapped up as councilman Dan Johnson alluded to during the last town board meeting. A public hearing has been scheduled for 6 p.m. on November 6 for resident input and to set town officials' salaries. The meeting will take place at the town hall court room.

In Rochester, the current preliminary budget figures would increase the tax levy by 1.48 percent, just below the 1.54 percent maximum permitted under the state's tax-cap legislation according to supervisor Carl Chipman. Budgets which exceed the cap are permitted under the law, but require the town council to declare that intention ahead of time, and must be passed by a supermajority of members. The general tax levy will be $718,838, with $1,171,974 for the highway fund tax levy.

While it's under the tax cap, this is one of the biggest increases under Chipman's administration, which has actually seen decreases in several years. The supervisor said that health care costs continue to rise dramatically, forcing the town to seek a new plan for its employees or face a 113 percent increase over last year, a situation he blames on Obamacare. This budget also has the first pay increase for town employees since the pits of the recession, with an across-the-board two percent increase. There are also slight increases in lines to maintain the rail trails with more frequent mowing, and for emergency management.

Some relief from cost pressures came from the state, with the mandatory retirement contributions going down thanks to a healthy investment portfolio for the pensions. Ulster County also did its part, taking another third of the Safety Net welfare program off the town's books, as well as the first part of election costs, which will be absorbed over the next three years.

"2015 is looking pretty solid," the supervisor said.

In Crawford, supervisor Charles Carnes' preliminary budget is currently posting a 2.16 percent overall increase, although there's a zero percent rise of any sort in Crawford's general fund expenditures. The big rise is occurring in the town's highway department, whose current 5.23 percent increase is being pushed by the need for a major amount of salt replacement due to the huge use last February and similar expectations for the coming winter, plus ongoing increases in workmen's compensation and medical insurance costs.

In Shawangunk, veteran supervisor John Valk is looking at preliminary budget figures to increase by 1.98 percent next year. He noted similar issues as with other towns but noted that his highway department costs are being kept down through use of the town's fund balance to a minimal 1.29 percent hike.

Over in Mamakating, the current outlook for 2015's budget, put together by a new town board and supervisor, is at a low 1.41 percent overall increase, fueled by a decrease in the town's highway costs, from $1,386,605 to $1,348,867.Going up will be some of the town's special districts, including the Bloomingburg Fire District, set to go up to $643,626 from &635,326, and Wurtsboro, hiking from $480,200 to $534,800.

In Rosendale, preliminary budget figures are under the 2 percent tax cap implemented by the state, with the current preliminary grand total 2015 figure of $4,377,509 indicating an increase of $21,931 or 0.82 percent. Broken down, the general fund budget is $2,509,688 with an increase of 2.85 percent; the highway department fund is looking for a $44,435 increase or 2.5 percent to arrive at $1,254,875 for 2015; while the budgets for both water and sewer will decrease in the coming year. The proposed water fund would be $336,736, a decrease of $17,043 or a 100 percent decrease, while the sewer budget requested is $246,508, $31,088, or a 55.69 percent drop from 2014. A public hearing on the preliminary budget will be held on November 5 at the Rondout Municipal Center in Cottekill.

The Town of Marbletown's preliminary budget for 2015 is $2,021,728. That would be an increase of 1.92 percent from 2014, also nicely under the two percent state tax cap. The town's general fund budget is $794,150, a 1.07 percent increase over last year. The highway department preliminary budget is $1,227,578, 2.49 percent greater than last year's. Marbletown has $30,082 carried forward from the prior year's fund.