Sweeton to hold constituent day tomorrow

Warwick — Can’t make it to Town Hall Monday to Friday during regular business hours? Too tired to hit a regular town board meeting after a hard day’s work? Got something you need clarified by Supervisor Michael Sweeton? Well, tomorrow is your day. Sweeton is holding a constituent day on Saturday, Nov. 12, from 10 a.m. to noon at the town’s Senior Center at Town Hall. Sweeton said all topics will be entertained from town residents, but added it would be a good time to address any questions regarding the new plan to fund police service in the Village of Warwick. Beginning in January, the town will include the cost of police service to Village of Warwick taxpayers as a separate line item on their town taxes. The Village of Warwick has contracted with the town for police service since the two departments merged in 1991. Recently, the cost to the village was based on the number of calls received from villagers. The town will now base the cost to villagers on the assessed value of each house. An average house in the village will pay approximately $450, according to Sweeton, or $9.50 per $1,000 of assessed value. The cost to village taxpayers will be less than charged through the current system. The village’s fiscal year goes from June to May. Village taxes will be reduced next year, since the town will collect taxes for police service. The change is based on opinions from the state Comptroller’s office, which recommended that municipalities pay for police service through a tax structure rather than a contract.