Ogdensburg Council Slashes Positions and Taxes in Budget Overhaul
The Ogdensburg city council in New York voted 4-2 to accept a preliminary budget for 2024 that includes no new hires, cutting two proposed firefighter positions. The budget also reduces the tax rate from $16.58 to an even $16 per $1,000 of assessed value and decreases the proposed water rate increase from 4% to 0%. However, the sewer rate increase is reduced from 12.5% to 4%. The revised budget will require more use of the city's fund balance, resulting in a projected balance for 2024 that is estimated to be 30% below the recommended amount by the state comptroller. The public can provide comments on the preliminary spending plan at the next city meeting, and a final budget must be approved by December 1.