Patterson Opts to Exceed Tax Cap; Seeks Fields Corners Rd. Weight Limit

By Holly Crocco

The Patterson Town Board has unanimously approved moving forward with a budget that surpasses the state-mandated 2 percent property tax levy cap for 2027, with a preliminary budget of $17.2 million, which represents about $214,000 in spending beyond what is allowed by the state.

It equates to a 4.39 percent tax levy increase.

“This is the first year since the tax cap was initiated that we’re actually overriding it,” said Town Supervisor Richard Williams during the Oct. 21 budget hearing.

One thing that will impact the budget over the next few years is the gradual removal of the Watchtower Educational Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses from the tax rolls. According to Williams, the organization has paid taxes on the hotel property since its inception, but last year challenged the town’s ability to do so.

“We knew they were likely to be successful,” he said. “Our attorney did an excellent job negotiating a settlement with Watchtower whereas they didn’t come off the tax rolls all in one year, but are doing it progressively over five years.”

However, the town stands to lose up to an estimated $3 million by the time year five is up.

Resident Bruce Major inquired about the town’s basic life support and advanced life support services, noting that personnel expenses alone are topping out at about $750,000, which isn’t fully covered by what is billed out.

“Over the last three months we’ve learned that our tax dollars are sitting over at the county,” he said, referring to the county’s $200-million-plus reserves. “I would think that maybe the county’s in a better position to really be handling that type of service.”

Williams explained that before the town took on the endeavor to provide basic life support emergency services, there were many conversations with lawmakers in which it was made clear that the county did not want to take on the town’s ambulance services, which are required by law.

“At this point we’ve made a serious commitment and investment in our community to keep our residents safe,” he said.

Major applauded the town for staying below the tax cap in previous years.

“When a lot of our tax dollars are sitting over there on the county, and we see our budgets going up… I’m looking at all these expenses and thinking these may be the reasons why,” he said.  

Councilwoman Gwen Dougherty noted that some of the driving forces behind the budget increase this year are a 60 percent increase in road salt price, benefits which are driven by national healthcare costs, and energy bills.

“So those three things were the major things that took a giant leap forward, in a bad way,” she said.

“We’re budgeting for tens of thousands of more dollars for diesel for gas costs,” added Councilwoman Stacy Dumont, who added that all of the part-time board members declined a raise this year. “None of our services have decreased, so that’s important for the public to know. And we could certainly use some more money from the county.”

Williams said it has been a long and arduous task coming up with the 2027 budget.

“It’s certainly been more challenging than it’s been in the past years trying to get through everything, and I commend everyone on all the hard work they put in,” he said.

Also during the Oct. 21 Patterson Town Board meeting, a resolution to introduce a local law to prohibit commercial vehicles that weigh more than 5 tons from traveling on Fields Corners Road was unanimously approved.

According to Williams, a large warehouse facility that has been constructed on Pugsley Road in Southeast – which turns into Fields Corners Road – has brought a lot of commercial traffic to Patterson.

“At the time we raised a lot of objections, raised a lot of concerns about the potential for commercial traffic coming down that road and the increase in traffic and the needed improvement that should have been made, which were completely ignored,” he said.

However, now that the buildings are occupied, “Sure enough, the tractor-trailers are running down Fields Corners Road,” said Williams.

A public hearing on the local law change is scheduled Nov. 4 at 7 p.m., at Town Hall.