Mayor Buckley applaudes city government who “provide the high level of services our residents expect and rely on at an affordable cost”
From the City of Hornell, pictured is Mayor Buckley addressing the Common Council
The City of Hornell Common Council met on Monday, March 25 in a special meeting following public hearings to review budgets for the upcoming 2024-2025 fiscal year. The Council unanimously approved the proposed budgets for both the General and Water Funds. The General Fund budget proposed a 0.5% property tax decrease, keeping the City of Hornell one of the most affordable communities in the State of New York.
During an extensive review of the budgets, Mayor John Buckley highlighted a common theme across all departments: a continued increase in the prices of materials and supplies. “The inflation and price increases experienced by consumers are also felt by municipalities,” noted Mayor Buckley. “While these prices do appear to be leveling off, many of our material and supply expenses surpass amounts for last year. This is most evident with the chemical costs for our Water Treatment Plant and Water Pollution Control Plant, but we see it everywhere, with rising prices of fuel and building materials as well.”
Acknowledging the collaborative efforts that led to this achievement, Mayor Buckley commended the Department Heads and the City Chamberlain. “I am proud of the hard work and dedication of our department heads, employees, and our City Chamberlain for all they do year-round to provide the high level of services our residents expect and rely on at an affordable cost.”
Finance Committee Chairman and 9th Ward Alderman, Robert Colucci, shared his satisfaction with the budgets, “I am very happy that we were able to adopt our 2024-2025 budgets, which reflect a decrease in the property tax rate. I share the Mayor’s gratitude to the City Chamberlain, Michele Smith, and the department heads for their cooperation throughout the budget process to keep the change in our appropriations to just over 3%. This was clearly not an easy task given the inflationary pressure of our economy. It’s remarkable the City has been able to increase revenue by 1.58%, which has been buoyed by strong sales tax revenues and pilot payments. These budgets are a testament to the fiscal responsibility of Mayor John Buckley, Chamberlain Smith, all of our dedicated employees, and our City’s strong economy.”
Mayor Buckley emphasized the City’s ability to manage finances responsibly during economically challenging times, while also highlighting the significant projects underway in Hornell this year. He stated, “It’s truly impressive to have what we affectionately call ‘the Year of Construction’ and achieve a tax decrease. While many of these projects are supported by grant funds, they often require a local match or contribution. Everywhere you look, there’s a great project happening, and we’re proud it’s not coming at an increase in cost to the taxpayers.”
City Chamberlain Michele Smith highlighted the balance achieved in meeting community needs while ensuring fiscal responsibility. “We were able to provide a slight decrease in the tax rate while still meeting the needs and priorities of our community,” she stated. Smith also echoed Mayor Buckley’s enthusiasm for the ongoing projects, noting, “There are a lot of projects going on this year which, we believe, will greatly improve our City.”
Veteran Finance Committee member and 10th Ward Alderman John Carbone shared his perspective on the 2024-2025 budgets, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and responsible financial planning, “As a member of the Finance Committee for the past 19 years, my goal has always been to collaborate and produce a budget that is responsible and favorable for our citizens. I’m very happy with our proposed budget with a healthy fund balance that helps to keep the City in a positive financial position. Although our budget reflects a small decrease in our tax rate, I hope it shows our tax payers we are working to keep expenses under control, while providing services, despite our highly inflationary times.”
3rd Ward Alderman and member of the Finance Committee, Joseph McKay expressed confidence in the City’s financial management, stating, “I am personally very impressed with the efforts put forth by the City Chamberlain, and the Mayor, as well as the Finance Committee. The budget is intact and very thorough.” McKay concluded, “The residents of the City of Hornell should have full confidence that their tax dollars are managed with great fiscal responsibility as evidenced by a decrease in taxes this year.”
