Schoharie County supervisors made some last minute subtractions and changes Friday cutting taxes in the final 2008 budget.
The budget totals $58.7 million and will hold an average tax rate decrease of between 6.5 and seven percent, said county Treasurer Bill Cherry.
The budget was approved 15-1 Friday afternoon with only Phil Skowfoe of Fulton voting against the plan.
On Friday, supervisors agreed to up the revenue expected from the gas tax and decreased spending for work on heating systems in county buildings.
Supervisors agreed to up the revenue line for the gas tax revenue by $50,000 to $295,000. The fund totaled $189,000 this year and all the revenue in the line is used to reduce the tax levy.
Mr. Skowfoe noted there may be changes in the heating system work after an energy study and suggested cutting the funds appropriated for heating system work. Supervisors agreed to take out $100,000 from that account.
Supervisors did leave in additional funding for the Chamber of Commerce and did not take any action on a call for a “bed tax” just before the budget was adopted Friday.
Chamber officials had requested $150,000 in funding for 2008 for a marketing study and additional advertising.
The funds were included in the first draft of the budget but pared back by the board’s finance committee to $45,000 for advertising and $15,000 for the study.
A proposal by Larry Phillips of Seward for a bed or occupancy tax of four percent was not approved and sent to committee for a recommendation.
Mr. Phillips said it was “time to stop dipping in resident taxpayers’ pockets.”
Some supervisors spoke against the plan and others said it needed more study and feedback.
Marie Campbell of Broome said a bed tax would hurt family-owned hotels while Mike Montario said Cobleskill area business owners asked him to vote against such a tax.
Bob Mann of Blenheim, the head of finance committee, said it was improper to bring up the tax at the end of the budget deliberations.
He said he wanted more input from hotel and other business owners before voting on a bed tax.
Wright Supervisor Loden said the board should look into the tax.
The budget also covers a new four-year contract for the 349 CSEA workers for the county.
The new deal raises salaries by four percent next year and then three percent each year through 2011, plus additional step hikes related to years of employment.