Watertown board to discuss 2027 budget with proposed highway tax

The Watertown Town Board is scheduled to meet Thursday to continue discussing a tentative 2027 budget that includes a new highway tax and no general property tax. The proposed levy is intended to support road maintenance and snow removal, according to Supervisor Jim Wright.

The tax rate has been reported as either $3.65 or $3.66 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The conflicting figures have not been confirmed by a primary budget document. Wright previously considered a general property tax, which would have been the town’s first in two decades, according to one report.

The town has traditionally relied on its share of Jefferson County sales-tax revenue rather than a property tax. That share has declined as expenses increased. The town also has nearly $17 million in debt, including more than $7 million tied to completed projects and more than $9 million connected to projects in progress.

The town’s water and sewer funds owe the general fund $2.2 million. The town also faces an audit by the New York State Comptroller’s Office covering its 2025 and 2026 books. The audit follows missed annual financial reports for fiscal years 2023, 2024 and 2025, which put a $4.6 million state grant at risk. The town also lost about $200,000 in state CHIPS road funding because of late paperwork.

The proposed highway tax would affect property owners in the Town of Watertown outside the City of Watertown. It would also support services used by people traveling on town roads and relying on local snow removal. Water and sewer customers could be affected if the funds’ debt to the general fund is repaid through user fees.

The budget is expected to be revised before its Nov. 5 deadline for adoption. Wright has said the Town Board will consider a resolution ending the town’s role in the Thousand Islands Events Center. The board’s Thursday meeting is expected to provide another opportunity for discussion of the tentative budget.