Proposed Beacon City Budget Raises Property Taxes

 Mayor Randy Casale has introduced an $18.1 million budget for Beacon in 2013. The city is at the two percent state tax cap, but residential property taxes will increase by 7.37 percent per thousand and non-residential will rise 5.3 percent.

Like all other communities, Beacon faces reduced revenues in sales taxes and mortgage taxes, but at the same time, employee pension costs will rise 15 percent, at $66,000.

Casale plans to defund vacant police officer positions.

There would be no layoffs in the department. There are 38 positions, but seven are unfilled and would be eliminated.

The mayor is hopeful that union rank and file agrees to provisions in his budget including changing the health insurance policy, which he said would save $300,000 to $400,000.

The final decision on the budget is up to the city council.