LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The town budget is expected to have few changes from last year.

 

Town Manager Paul Sieloff said he is "virtually finished" with his proposed budget; he is just waiting confirmation on a few items from the new town accountant. Sieloff said he is "pretty happy with where we are" and that his budget is going to look a lot like last years.

 

"The Board of Selectmen want me to keep a tight rein on the budget," Sieloff said.

 

Early numbers from both of the schools show limited increases. Sieloff said on Tuesday that the first drafts of the Mount Greylock Regional School budget look to be level for Lanesborough and, last week, the Lanesborough School Committee took its first pass at a budget with hopes to keep that a zero increase as well.

 

None of those three budgets have been finalized but reviews are expected to begin soon. Mount Greylock is expected to present its budget on March 14. It is not clear when the Lanesborough School Committee will present that budget.

 

The Finance Committee is looking to meet with the Police, Highway, and Fire departments at its next meeting on Feb. 29 to begin the review. From there, the committee will review Sieloff's budget and determine if it wants to meet with any other department. 

 

"Until we see the budget, we don't know who we will want to see," said Finance Committee member Ronald Tinkham.

 

While the early signs are good for the town's finances, some members of the Finance Committee are still concerned about the future tax revenue from the Berkshire Mall. Since 2008 the assessed value of the mall has been nearly cut in half — down from $60 million to $31 million — and the assessment for 2015 and 2016 have been appealed to appellate tax board. That ruling and potential loss in revenue from future assessments because of the closing of two anchor stores has triggered some concern. 

 

"If we are going to continually lose support for mall, it is going to impact the rest of us," Finance Committee member Ray Jones said.

 

The loss of Macy's and Best Buy won't affect tax revenues until 2018 but Jones says it will lead to a higher tax rate for the residential owners. 

 

"The only way to reduce the impact to the taxpayers would be to reduce the operating budget. To do that, services will have to be cut," Jones said.

 

Sieloff said he is somewhat concerned with losing the two stores but said even if they represent a $4 million decrease is taxable value, that is only 1 percent of the town's total value. 

 

"We've been cautiously looking at the mall over the year. The number used to be $60 million and now it is $31 million," Sieloff said. "We've been taking a hit over the years."

 

Member Steven Wentworth said a lot can change in the next two years before there is a decrease in value. If other stores move in, there wouldn't be a negative hit in value.

 

Jones, however, says the retail industry has been declining and many malls have closed, so the economic conditions doesn't point to those spaces being filled. He said "we are on the downside" of it.

 

"This is an extreme challenge having to deal with the value of the mall changing. We don't know what that is going to be," Sieloff responded.