Brownville officials agree on proposed budget

BROWNVILLE — After delibrating for more than three hours Wednesday night, Brownville selectmen and the budget committee members agreed on a proposed 1992 budget of $443.879. The proposal included cuts of almost $62,000 from last year’s appropriation with the Public Works Department the hardest hit.

Town manager Gerald Wagg said that the proposed budget would allow the town to hold the line on tax increases this year and still maintain an adequate level of services.

To offset a requested cut of more than $35,000 in the public works accoynt, Wagg proposed that all current and anticipated 1992 funds in the capital paving program be transferred to the public works account, a move that would mean no major paving on town roads in 1992. However, most town roads have recently been resurfaced. he said.

None of the municipal departments would receive a funding increase — although the street-light account would increase by $1,000 — and “there are no pay increases for any employees,” Wagg said, noting that income for employees’ would actually decrease this year because of higher health-insurance costs and the increased cost of living.

The sanitation account baslance should be used for the payment of $10,000 plus interest which is due in February on the sanitation truck. He said the balance in the recreation account would keep “an outstanding program going until the annual town meeting,”and the small balance in cemetery funds would help pay for snow removal on town office sidewalks and the bridge by mainly cemetery workers who are unemployed.

Taxes could also be held down if voters forego a 5-percent discount on early tax payment of taxes. “The mill rate could have been some four-tenths of a mill less if allowance had not been made for the discount,” he said. “Some $13,500 was allowed for early payment. Far more than $100,000 are due the town for 1990 and 1991 property taxes …. For those who could not pay, their taxes were higher in order to grant those who could pay a discount. The town coffers saw no reasonable benefits.”