Village of Lewiston Board set to approve budget

Trustees considering 19-cent tax increase

By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

The Village of Lewiston Board of Trustees met Monday to review the tentative 2025-26 municipal budget. Treasurer Stephanie Longwell provided elected leaders with a 19-page packet detailing every projected expense and source of revenue.

Of course, the number residents are most interested in is the tax rate, which is proposed to increase 19 cents – from $8.1644858 to $8.354858 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. That works out to $29 more for a homeowner with a property valued at $150,000.

•The total estimated budget of $5,268,557 is a decrease of $175,534 from 2024-25. By contrast, the current financial plan called for a $5,444,091 budget, with an increase of $676,517.

Highlights include:

Expenses

√ The general fund is $4,297,149, a decrease of $59,722. (By contrast, 2024-25: $4,356,871, an increase of $474,411.

√ The water fund is $467,222, a decrease of $92,571. (2024-25: $559,793, an increase of $145,115).

√ The sewer fund is $504,186, a decrease of $23,241. (2024-25: $527,427, an increase of $56,991).

The top five line-item expenses – all essential services – include:

√ Sewer treatment, $295,996

√ Fire protection, $451,973 ($382,620 comes from the Town of Lewiston)

√ Water supply, $318,546

√ Police protection, $304,004

√ Employee benefits, $788,882 (includes health insurance, retirement, unemployment insurance, self-insurance compensation through Niagara County, Medicare and FICA tax)

•Water and sewer rates

√ The water rate remains the same, at $4.25 per 100 cubic feet of usage.

√ The sewer rate also remains flat, at $4.79 per 100 cubic feet of usage.

•Total debt payments

Total debt payments are $281,162.49. This includes bond payments for the new Department of Public Works garbage truck.

Areas where funding was reduced include:

√ The Red Brick Municipal Building’s new gymnasium bathroom project is now expected to cost $50,000, instead of the $100,000 previously earmarked.

√ The clerk’s office is spending $3,000 less on New York Conference of Mayors schooling, thanks to the availability of webinars.

√ The Fourth of July fireworks presentation will remain the same, but the program’s allotment was trimmed $2,000 – in part due to money left over from 2024.

√ Beautification Committee funding was clipped $2,000 – $1,000 each for baskets/banners and ground flowers – but the total in these accounts ($8,000 and $6,500, respectively) is still greater than what has been spent in the current fiscal year.

Revenue

Income highlights include:

√ The total revenue stream is $4,684,139, an increase of $28,817. By contrast, the current budget called for $4,655,322, an increase of $555,197.

Revenue includes:

√ Total general revenue is $3,712,731, an increase of $110,535. (2024-25: $3,602,196, an increase of $$368,393).

√ $467,222 in water fees, a decrease of $91,718. (2024-25: $558,940 in water fees, an increase of $144,262).

√ $504,186 in sewer fees, an increase of $10,000. (2024-25: $494,186 in sewer fees, an increase of $42,542).

√ With the tax rate increase to $8.354858 per $1,000, real property taxes would net $1,354,733, an increase of $42,388 over this year’s sum.

With revenue less than expenses, $585,833 in appropriated fund balance would be used to equalize the budget.

Last year, trustees anticipated expending $788,769 in appropriated fund balance ($754,675 in general fund balance, plus $853 in sewer fund balance and $33,241 in water fund balance).

Longwell said, “It’s too early to tell but, as of right now, I don’t think we will need to use the fund balance as long as grant payments come in.”

Village Board members appeared content with these budget figures, and canceled a second review session that was slated for Monday, March 31.

“We worked hard on this budget,” Mayor Anne Welch said after the meeting. “We met with the department heads and went through every line of the budget. We were able to make some cuts, but we also had to make some increases.

“This year’s budget includes a slight tax increase of 19 cents per $1,000 of assessment. That doesn’t even cover the increases in health insurance, retirement, utilities and state mandates. This is not even a cost-of-living increase, and we comply with New York state’s tax cap requirements.”

Trustees previously approved a motion to schedule a public hearing on the budget for 6 p.m. Monday, April 7, in anticipation of approving the financial plan that night.

The new fiscal year begins June 1.

Longwell and Department of Public Works Superintendent Anthony Mang have been working on budget lines for several months, seeking to simplify accounts and provide a better appraisal of the numbers.

“Superintendent Mang and I worked diligently to make the budget lines more efficient and less of a guessing game, by streamlining accounts, making the budget more accurate,” Longwell said.

Welch said, “I want to thank the board, village Clerk Shannon Fundis, Treasurer Stephanie Longwell, Deputy Clerk Donna Cassick, Superintendent Anthony Mang and the Department of Public Works, Custodian Jeff Gruarin, Building Inspector Ken Candella and Fire Inspector Barry Beebe, Recreation Director Brendan McDermott, Attorney Joseph Leone and Engineer Mike Marino, who continue to provide great service to our community.”