Town commiserates over its economic woes

PINE PLAINS — The Town Board discussed the dismal financial news that has taken the world by storm, during its regular Thursday, Nov. 20, meeting.

“Everybody is seeing the news,â€� said town Supervisor Gregg Pulver. “The state is facing a financial crisis, the county is looking to trim $4 million...  but ultimately the municipalities bear the brunt of it. We’ll be fine for 2009, but for 2010, the budget will be very tough.â€�

It’s a message Pulver has delivered before. While drafting this year’s budget, the supervisor warned residents that things will only get tighter, especially with some of the measures the county and state are looking to take.

One such move proposed by the county is cutting down on police road patrols. Another idea that has been suggested by the state is to slash CHIPS (Consolidated Highway Improvement Program) funding.

“There are all kinds of cuts [being proposed],� Pulver said. “And while we [the town of Pine Plains] are not looking at laying people off, I don’t think it’s going to be a year to get a raise.�

He did, however, say that he felt “optimistic� the town would meet its revenues heading into 2009. Meanwhile, municipalities in the area are trying to plan for an uncertain future. Last week Pulver met with other town supervisors along with county Legislator Gary Cooper and the county’s under sheriff to discuss the proposed change in road patrols.

“They should be out in every town every day,� Pulver said of the police patrols.

Another topic that’s garnered some heated discussion has to do with the fate of county voting machines.

“They took the voting machines away from us and the worse thing you can do to a voting machine is move it,� Pulver said. “Now they want to hit us back with it. That probably won’t fly.�

The opinion of the board was singular — that the town will have to brace for a rough road ahead.

“Our budgets are done and here all of a sudden from the state and county we’re getting all of this — it’s a lot to look at,� Pulver said. “I spend every day thinking about how to cut costs.�

“You can just pull a rope so tight,� Councilman George Keeler said in summation.

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