November 13, 2002 Vol.172, No. 46

& DISTRICT   Residential property tax hike higher in Cardinal than Edwardsburgh By david dickenson - Journal Staff Writer JOHNSTOWN - Property taxes in Edwardsburgh/Cardinal will increase 3.2 per cent, according to the budget approved by township council Monday at the Port of Prescott. The increase in taxes takes into consideration the total tax bill including county and education levies. The overall budget called for expenditures of $5,760,037 and a revenue of $3,501,260, leaving $2,258,777 to be raised for local municipal purposes. Expenditures include $1,314,000 of capital expenditures, which were partially funded by drawing down reserves and reserve funds of $555,000. Residents of Cardinal will once again take a higher increase in residential taxes than that of the township. Cardinal residents will be paying $49.10 more than last year at a three per cent increase, while those in Edwardsburgh will be paying a $33.65 increase, or 2.6 per cent more, for residential properties assessed at $100,000. Commercial taxes in the township and Cardinal will both drop by 0.6 per cent, with the average business paying about $20 less a year. Industrial tax levies took a large decrease, with Cardinal decreasing by eight per cent from last year and the township decreasing by 8.9 per cent. Edwardsburgh will see a spending increase of 3.94 per cent this year and Cardinal will increase by 3.28 per cent. The major expenses outlined in the budget include $70,000 in equipment for the fire department to upgrade hoses and perform maintenance on existing equipment, $160,000 for a plow truck for public works, and $269,000 in paving costs for Crowder Road, Froom Road and Fourth Street in Johnstown, as well as building a road through the piece of land bought for the fire department to separate the 14-acre lot into nine smaller lots. Other items include $80,000 for a new roof to the public works/fire station in Cardinal, $54,000 in sanitary sewers for Walter and Lambert Roads, $373,000 towards the township's third of the $1,000,000 upgrade cost to bring the water treatment plant up to standard in addition to a new intake structure needed because of Zebra mussels, and $150,000 to the closure of the landfill on Pittston Road. "We must remember costs are going up every day," commented Mayor Dave Dobbie. "We looked at the other communities and we've pared back quite a bit to be among the lowest tax hikes." "This is the first year we told our department heads to cut substantially from what was needed."