Even though the current mayor of Jamestown will no longer be in office next year, he has laid out the “Smart City” plans for his successor to improve city vehicles, equipment and infrastructure in future years.

On Tuesday, Jamestown mayor Sam Teresi, Jamestown mayor, released his executive 2020 budget, which was his 20th and, presumably, last budget as the city’s mayor. Next year, Teresi’s successor will be in charge of implementing the proposed executive budget or the fiscal plan approved by the Jamestown City Council.

Before leaving office, Teresi stressed to the next mayor the need to implement the Smart City Capital Investment Program, which will have cost-savings in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

“Keep that program moving. It will be a God send if you do,”

Last month, Teresi and city administrators announced the $13.65 million plan publicly.

The plan includes improvements to the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities sanitation garage, new sanitation equipment and water main replacement and improvements. For the city, the plan includes energy/structure improvements to city facilities; storm water management improvements; and the implementation of a consolidated fleet, which includes the construction of a central maintenance facility. The plan also includes purchasing two ambulances and equipment to possible start an ambulance response service.

“The absolute need to proceed with the financing and implementation of a number of larger, transformational, restructuring and capital investment projects that are currently in various stages of development and implementation,” Teresi said. “The delivery of these ‘Smart City’ investment initiates could significantly lower cost, generate new revenues and help to substantially shield the city form financial insolvency in the future.”

In the executive budget summary, which can be viewed by going to jamestowny.net, Teresi detailed “Smart City” initiatives that have occurred during the last three to four years, those included in the Smart City Capital Investment Program and future action to be taken after the implementation of the capital investment plan.

“The ongoing efforts to intelligently invest extremely limited resources in the acquisition and utilization of technology, and the use of best practice initiatives have had a profoundly positive impact on the overall bottom line for city operations during recent years and thereby providing a better base on which to build this and future funding plans,” he said. “The continued pursuit and advancement of these efforts will play a key role in making this and future budget plans work to their potential.”

The 2020 proposed budget includes an $82,942, or .52%, tax levy increased. According to the state Department of Taxation and Finances, the tax levy is the amount raised through property taxes.

For the first time in two years, the tax levy will be increasing in the city because the Constitutional tax limit increased by the same margin. The constitutional tax limit is the amount of money the city can ask its property taxpayers to provide compared to the total taxable assessed value of all property in the community. The city’s constitutional tax limit is 2% of the five-year average of the total taxable assessed value of all property in the community. The city hit 100% of its taxing limit in 2017.

The Constitutional tax limit increased because once again there was an increase in the total taxable assessed value of all property in the city, which increased by $3,325,536, or 0.5%, to a total of $674,839,617.

The tax rate will be the same as in 2019 at $23.85 per $1,000 assessed property value. According to the state Department of Taxation and Finances, the tax rate is determined by dividing the tax levy by the total taxable assessed value of all property in a jurisdiction.

The total budget is $36,627,704, which is an increase of $629,742, or 1.7%.

The council will start budget deliberations prior to its work session meeting Oct. 21. The council has a deadline of Dec. 1 to pass a budget, or the executive budget will be the fiscal plan used next year.