October 24, 2024
As the Town of Amboy board, we feel it is important to communicate the boards position regarding the recent negotiations with the West Amboy Volunteer Fire Department and the proposed 2025 budget as it pertains to the Fire Department.
The contract between the town and the fire department has been consistently the same cost model for many years. As public servants, it is our responsibility to examine each service and the corresponding level of service and to find cost saving measures, efficiencies and to question the way things have been done for many years. One of our most important responsibilities is to provide a public safety model that meets the needs of our citizens and the firefighters who provide protection for life and property without compromising the financial viability of the town and adding to the burden to the taxpayers.
The Town of Amboy is held to an annual tax cap. Our current tax cap is 2.51% that is an increase of $23,151 on a current levy of $824,952. This tax cap limits our ability to grow services and sustain the ones we currently provide. We are not planning to increase taxes to cover the Fire Departments budget request increase of 41% over last year’s budget. The Town of Amboy is offering an increase to the Fire Department over last year's budget, and they are refusing to accept it.
In defense of our taxpayers, it is our responsibility to negotiate a model that places the power of determining public safety in the hand of the people we serve and protect.
We look forward to the input from our citizens and welcome comments as always. Please feel free to attend the public hearing of the budget on November 7, 2024 at 6pm.
Respectfully,
Town of Amboy Supervisor, Kathleen Wilkinson
Town of Amboy Board Members, Holly Humphries, Bruce Stone, and Larry Rayder