The New Windsor Town Board unanimously approved a $51.7 million budget for fiscal year 2025 on Wednesday, maintaining the state-mandated tax cap for the 14th consecutive year.

The 2025 budget represents a 7.3% increase, or approximately $3.5 million, over the previous year’s spending plan. The property tax levy is set at $18.7 million, a 3.21% increase, or $583,189, from 2024.

For a single-family home assessed at $40,000, the typical property tax bill will increase by $29.31, with $10.67 allocated to the General and Highway Funds, and $18.64 to special districts covering services like ambulance, garbage, water, and sewer. Water and sewer costs are billed separately from the property tax levy; sewer charges remain at $17.20 per point per year, and water rates at $9.16 per 1,000 gallons.

The budget includes $16.2 million for personal services, $1.5 million for capital outlay, $17.6 million for contractual expenses, $3.9 million for debt service, $11.2 million for employee benefits, and $1.3 million for interfund transfers. Salaries for town officials remain unchanged, with the supervisor earning $143,520, council members $20,245 each, the town clerk and tax receiver $99,944, town justices $56,784 each, and the highway superintendent $91,416.

A public hearing held Wednesday drew no comments from residents. Supervisor Steven Bedetti praised Town Comptroller Doreen Casey for her work on the budget and acknowledged council members Charles Broe, Eve Lincoln, Sylvia Santiago, and Steve Moreau for their contributions. Bedetti noted that maintaining the tax cap remains challenging but affirmed the town’s commitment to fiscal responsibility.

The new budget takes effect January 1, 2025. The full 58-page document is available on the town’s website.