Budget officer presents 2025 preliminary tax rates; public hearings set for Nov. 4

Denice Hudson, the Town of Malone’s budget officer, said the 2025 preliminary budget has been completed and reported a preliminary town tax rate of $9.714656 per $1,000 of assessed value, an increase of $0.01 per $1,000 from 2024. Hudson said a house assessed at $50,000 would pay $485.50 in town taxes under the preliminary rate, a $0.50 increase from 2024; the Village preliminary tax rate was listed as $5.27112 per $1,000, a $0.03 increase, which would compute to $263.50 for the same $50,000-assessed home (an increase of $1.50).

The budget officer told the board the Town began budget work with a required levy reduction target of $112,953. After three work sessions the 2025 Preliminary Tax Levy was set at $3,505,509 — which Hudson noted is $138,042 over the state-mandated negative tax cap threshold and is less than 1% above the 2024 levy of $3,480,420. The record also notes the Town adopted a local law to override the tax cap; that local law was filed with the New York State Department of State on Oct. 15, 2024.

Hudson summarized which levies apply to which taxpayers, noting that taxpayers within the Village of Malone pay town levies only for the General Fund, Highway Town‑wide Fund, Town‑wide Fire Protection and Town‑wide Ambulance District because village residents also pay a separate village tax for services.

The board authorized Town Clerk Abby Monica to schedule public hearings on Nov. 4, 2024 as follows: West Water District at 5:00 p.m., East Water District at 5:10 p.m., Ambulance District at 5:20 p.m., and the 2025 Town of Malone Budget at 5:30 p.m. The board approved the scheduling motion unanimously (5-0).

The hearings are the next formal opportunity for public comment before the board adopts a final budget and tax levy.