> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://websterledger.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # What's in Webster's 2027 preliminary budget, ahead of the Oct. 15 hearing - URL: https://websterledger.com/2026-09-30-webster-2027-preliminary-budget/ - Published: 2026-09-30T12:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-30T12:00:00.000Z - Description: Webster's 2027 preliminary budget lists 6% more in appropriations across all town funds and 3.11% more to be raised by taxes, including sewer and special districts. The Town Board has set a public hearing for Oct. 15. - Author: Morgan VanDerLeest - Tags: government, Explainer Webster's 2027 preliminary budget lists 6% more in appropriations across all town funds than the 2026 adopted budget and 3.11% more to be raised by taxes, including sewer and special districts. The Town Board has set a public hearing on the budget for Oct. 15\. The 29-page document, posted by the town in September, lists each fund and department line by line, with the 2027 figure next to the 2026 figure. ## The headline numbers The preliminary budget lists $23,567,025 as the amount to be raised by taxes, including sewer and special districts. That is $711,882, or 3.11%, more than in 2026\. The board made the tentative budget the preliminary budget on Sept. 17, and the Ledger's [recap of that meeting](https://websterledger.com/2026-09-17-town-board-recap/) reported the levy and the estimated tax rate changes. ## How appropriations up 6% become a levy up 3.11% Across all funds, the preliminary budget lists $56,470,539 in appropriations. That is $3,198,225, or 6%, more than the 2026 adopted budget. A footnote says the totals include $5,049,442 in transfers between the town's own funds. The library's $3,000,768, for example, appears once as a general fund expense and again in the library fund. The levy covers $711,882 of the $3,198,225 increase. Measured against the 2026 adopted budget, two other sources cover the rest. Estimated revenues are $668,961 higher. Unexpended balance, also called fund balance, is money left over from earlier years. The preliminary budget uses $7,825,540 of fund balance, $1,817,382 more than in 2026. Most of that larger draw is in the town-wide general fund, which covers all 16,894 parcels in town. The preliminary budget appropriates $2,797,000 of that fund's balance, against $1,150,000 in 2026. The same fund's "Other Revenue" block is $4,447,200, against $5,023,266\. Federal ARPA aid, $349,000 in 2026, is listed at $0\. The fund's share of sales tax is $2,211,000, against $2,479,000\. Mortgage tax is $1,100,000, against $1,000,000. Finance Director Paul Adams spoke about the use of fund balance at the Sept. 17 meeting, as the [recap](https://websterledger.com/2026-09-17-town-board-recap/) reported. ## What's new in the details The Ledger's [Aug. 3](https://websterledger.com/budget-workshop-2027-raises-unsettled/) and [Aug. 10](https://websterledger.com/budget-workshop-2027-flat-levies-zoning-line/) pieces covered the town's budget workshops. The lines below are all in the town-wide general fund. **Debt service.** The preliminary budget lists $2,426,798 to be raised by taxes for debt service, against $1,666,725 in 2026\. Most of the change is in principal on the bond anticipation note for the Highway Building: $950,000, against $325,000\. Interest on the same note is $1,037,112, against $967,306\. The Ledger's [explainer on town debt](https://websterledger.com/how-websters-town-debt-reached-132-million-and-who-pays-it-back/) covers the Highway Building's $28.25 million authorization and how the notes work. **Transfer to the capital fund.** The general fund lists a $290,000 transfer to the capital fund, against $0 in 2026. **Insurance.** The line for the town's SMP insurance policy is $670,000, against $561,000\. Adding a $5,000 line for official bonds and subtracting a $40,000 transfer in from the sewer fund, the town insurance section draws $635,000 from taxes, against $526,000. **Animal control.** The equipment line is $52,000, against $2,000\. The department also lists new revenue of $6,500 from an animal control seminar. Animal control's amount to be raised by taxes is $123,150, against $69,950. **Advanced life support.** The advanced life support line, headed "WEMS PVEA ALS" in the document, is $150,000, against $100,000 in 2026. **Building maintenance.** The capital improvements line for town buildings is $50,000, against $150,000\. Building maintenance as a whole draws $218,500 from taxes, against $318,500. **Employee benefits.** Benefits in the town-wide general fund total $6,463,000, against $5,967,000\. The preliminary budget lists the police retirement contribution at $1,518,000, against $1,300,000\. The police retirement figure is higher than on the July 14 police worksheet the Aug. 10 piece described, where the retirement contribution line fell $50,000\. The employee retirement contribution is $643,000, against $563,000\. The [Aug. 10 piece](https://websterledger.com/budget-workshop-2027-flat-levies-zoning-line/) covered the police medical insurance lines. ## A quick map of the funds Who pays depends on the fund. Town-wide funds cover all 16,894 parcels in town. Part-town funds cover the 15,397 parcels outside the Village of Webster, according to the budget's summary page. The town-wide general fund carries most departments, including police, recreation and debt service. It lists $17,389,223 to be raised by taxes, against $16,532,563\. It also pays for the library through the $3,000,768 transfer, and the library fund has no levy of its own. The highway town-wide fund lists $1,306,066 to be raised by taxes. The general part-town and highway part-town funds each list $0 to be raised by taxes. Both balance on revenues and fund balance, as the [Aug. 10 piece](https://websterledger.com/budget-workshop-2027-flat-levies-zoning-line/) explained for the highway side. Sewer rent is billed to parcels outside the village with access to sanitary sewers. The preliminary budget lists a 2027 sewer rent of $249.54 per unit, made up of $141.36 for operation and maintenance and $108.18 for capital. The Ledger's [sewer piece](https://websterledger.com/webster-sewer-rates-2027-fairlife/) from Aug. 10 covers how that compares with 2026. The consolidated drainage district covers 20,310 units. It lists $708,663 to be raised, or $34.89 per unit. Neighborhood lighting, park, sewer and water districts are billed to the parcels in each district. ## The hearing and what comes next The board set the hearing for Oct. 15 by resolution at its Sept. 17 meeting. The town's 2027 budget schedule lists the hearing at 7:30 p.m. The town calendar lists the board's regular Oct. 15 meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Board Meeting Room at 1002 Ridge Road. Under [Town Law §108](https://newyork.public.law/laws/n.y.%5Ftown%5Flaw%5Fsection%5F108?ref=websterledger.com), "any person may be heard in favor of or against the preliminary budget as compiled or for or against any item or items therein contained." The town's budget schedule lists adoption of the final budget at the same Oct. 15 meeting. Under [Town Law §109(2)](https://newyork.public.law/laws/n.y.%5Ftown%5Flaw%5Fsection%5F109?ref=websterledger.com), a town board in Monroe County must adopt its budget no later than Dec. 20. ## How to read it yourself The town posted the preliminary budget on its [Detailed Budget page](https://www.websterny.gov/253/Detailed-Budget?ref=websterledger.com) in September, as a [29-page PDF](https://www.websterny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/14210/2027-PRELIMINARY-BUDGET?ref=websterledger.com). The first page of the PDF summarizes the funds on one sheet. The department pages follow, each listing 2027 against 2026\. In the two part-town funds, some department blocks show an amount to be raised by taxes. Each fund's recap at the end of its section shows $0. Each line code starts with a letter for its fund. In the operating funds, A is the town-wide general fund and B is the general part-town fund. C and D mark the highway town-wide and part-town funds, which the first page labels DA and DB. Sewer lines start with G, and the special districts carry their own letters. ## Get Webster news in your inbox Independent local journalism for Webster, NY. Subscribe free Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. --- *AI tools were used in drafting and research.*