Watertown adopts 2027 budget with new highway property tax

The Town of Watertown adopted its 2027 budget Thursday, Nov. 5, with a new property tax dedicated to highway department needs. The levy will add $2.46 for every $1,000 of assessed property value and begins Jan. 1, 2027.

The town describes the levy as a highway tax. The money is intended to support equipment replacement, road repairs and snow removal. The highway department’s budget is about $1.3 million.

Town Supervisor Jim Wright said the budget is part of a plan to address nearly $2 million in debt. He said debt reduction will be a focus during the next two years, while acknowledging that the work may take longer. Wright’s next term also begins Jan. 1.

The budget marks a change for Town of Watertown property owners, who had not faced a town property levy for about two decades. Wright said residents will now see county taxes, fire taxes and a general town tax on their bills.

Resident Jack Snyder opposed the budget and its approval process. He said the town could find savings and avoid imposing the tax this year.

The tax applies to property owners in the Town of Watertown in Jefferson County. The town has relied in part on its share of county sales-tax revenue, which has declined, and officials have also pointed to financial issues involving the town’s water and sewer districts.

A state audit requested by some board members is examining the town’s finances, including water and sewer borrowing and earlier audit findings. Wright became supervisor in May after Joel Bartlett retired for health reasons and was later reelected through a write-in vote.

Residents can contact Supervisor Jim Wright at 315-782-2069, Town Clerk Pamela Desormo at 315-782-8248 or Highway Superintendent Ted Clement at 315-782-2781. The municipal building is at 22867 Brookside Drive, Watertown, NY 13601.