MONTICELLO — If you’ve noticed a sudden increase in taxes, you’re not alone. Monticello resident Dorothy McCoy had this same question for the Village Board last Wednesday night.

McCoy admitted that, since she doesn’t read the newspaper much anymore, she had not been aware of a potential public meeting or hearing pertaining to increases in taxes.

“When we got our bills and we saw the increases, I’m just curious as to how they came up to be that high,” stated McCoy. “How did you come to your [percentage] and what was the reason for it? Explain to us older people.”

Trustee Theodore Hut-chins admitted that, when the Village did the budget, some increases had been “off the rails.”

“[There was] a 14% increase on the health insurance,” stated Hutchins. “All of the supplies that we paid for, like water, sewer, everything, all of those chemicals are stuff that has been taxed. It’s just something we all absorbed.”

Barbarite added that there has been a “tremendous” increase in the Village’s electric bill, “like we did back home,” and that the Village’s increase wasn’t just a “couple hundred dollars.”

“It was a couple hundred-thousand dollars. There’s also the tariff situation, which has most of the suppliers increasing most of their items from 30 to 40 percent,” stated Barbarite. “There’s so much uncertainty. We have to keep the water plant going, we have to keep the sewer plant going, and we have to keep the lights on. There’s a tremendous cost.”

Barbarite also cited the inheritance of unpaid bills from the previous administration that this one now has to pay, noting how “it’s a real burden” and “nobody likes it.”

“I have a property in Monticello, so I’ve got to deal with it, too,” Barbarite lightheartedly admitted. “I’m not comfortable with it, but we have to keep life going.”

McCoy expressed her assumption that taxes would decrease given the influx of new houses being constructed.

Village Manager James Snowden responded that this would not happen for a couple of years.

Why? Because, in the span of a couple of years, calculations need to be made.

Hutchins added that the earliest changes that could be seen would be in the next budget season, with the newly built houses added to the tax roll.

When asked how many houses are currently occupied, year-round resident Yakov Mandelovics estimated 24 houses are already built and occupied.

“[Which will be] a tremendous tax revenue for the Village,” predicted Mandelovics. “I think that … between the next 12 to 24 months, it will be a tremendous increase in tax revenue. This will help bring down all of our tax bills.”

Snowden also commented that the prior board handed out raises of “three, four and five percent and they locked us in,” and thus the current board couldn’t change what had already been used.