SYRACUSE - Because of unpaid property taxes, the town of Syracuse's budget will suffer, at least temporarily.

Monday, at the year-end Syracuse Town Council meeting, the board was informed by Julie Kline, Syracuse clerk's office, the town got its property tax distribution Friday. It came in $71,921.46 short of what the town budgeted. While the town did get approximately $18,000 more from excise taxes than expected, that still leaves the town with a net shortage of $53,840.32.

When the clerk's office contacted the Kosciusko County auditor's office about why the shortage occurred, Kline said, they were told several taxpayers did not pay their taxes, creating the shortage, including a large taxpayer in Turkey Creek Township. If and when those taxes are paid, clerk-treasurer Elgie Tatman said, the town will then get the rest of its distribution.

"Departments are going to have to tighten their belts," said Barb Carwile, town council chairwoman, due to the loss. She said they will need to "watch your pennies."

The hardship, said councilman Bill Hane, will have to be spread over all the departments.

Town manager Brian Redshaw said Syracuse has a good group of department heads who are aware that the income side of their budgets needs to be monitored. When the budget was approved for 2003, cash flow was a critical issue considered. However, this extra loss was unexpected.

On another front, Redshaw presented the council with a letter from Mediacom regarding a price adjustment occurring in Syracuse.

The letter states that as of Feb. 1, the new price for family cable will increase by $3.95 per month to $44.90. The reason for the increase, according to the letter, is because of increasing costs in programming, copyright fees, technology improvements, etc.

"They're getting carried away," said Carwile.

When asked if Mediacom is going to add any new channels or other services, Redshaw said it did not appear so.

"They're just ripping us off all the time," said Hane. He said he'd like to see the town shop around for other cable service when possible.

In other business, the town council:

• Approved the year-end claims, totaling $131,069.81.

• Approved encumbrance requests as follows: clerk, $2,871.75 and $40,000; police, $826.95, $1,096.80, $594, $1,617.72, $2,018.70, $477.95, $239.71; fire, $1,145.30 and $357.56; animal control, $333.60; dispatch, $548.04 and $1,935; street, $1,200 and $1,115; local road and street, $7,165 and $11,000; EDIT, $1,103.75; cumulative capital development, $5,775 and $25,300; EMS, $1,128.17. Total of all encumbrances is $107,850.

• Approved Syracuse Fire Chief Mickey Scott to spend $1,145.30 on 14 pairs of new boots.

• Approved a transfer ordinance of $25 for the dispatcher.

• Approved the resignation of council chairwoman Barb Carwile from her appointment on the Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals and the appointment of Larry Siegel to the BZA. Carwile will remain on the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission.

• Approved town marshal Tom Perzanowski's request to extend his vacation leave to the first quarter of 2003. Perzanowski has five vacation days that he did not use this year because of workload.

• Approved the reappointment of Redshaw and councilwoman Carol Koble to the town's tree board for four-year terms.

• Approved the 2003 fire officers of Howard Birkel, assistant fire chief; Kevin Grindle, second assistant fire chief; Jerry Byrd, fire captain; Ron Pollock, fire lieutenant; and Roger Grothaus, secretary/treasurer.

• Approved the 2003 EMS officers: Chris Fancil, captain; Jeremy Caudill, lieutenant; and Sarah Lancaster, secretary/treasurer. Caudill also will become the town's newest full-time fireman, beginning Jan. 27.

Syracuse Town Council members present were Barb Carwile, Paul Stoelting and Bill Hane. Not present were Mike Davis and Carol Koble. The council meets regularly at 7 p.m. in the town hall on the third Tuesday of every month. [[In-content Ad]]