Watertown sets Nov. 5 hearing on proposed highway tax

The Town of Watertown’s tentative 2027 budget includes a proposed highway tax, and residents will have an opportunity to comment at a Town Board meeting scheduled for Nov. 5, 2026. The town’s notice board lists the meeting as part of an October and November schedule that uses first-Thursday meetings because of budget deadlines.

The proposed rate is listed in public reports as either $3.65 or $3.66 per $1,000 of assessed value. One estimate puts the annual charge at $366 for a home assessed at $100,000. The revenue would be restricted to highway department expenses, including costs connected to a $1.3 million highway budget, according to public reports.

That budget includes a union contract, asphalt and higher state-contracted road salt costs. The town’s highway building also needs major roof repairs and a fire sprinkler system, public reports said. The town is also seeking to address nearly $17 million in debt.

Town Supervisor Jim Wright has said the water and sewer funds owe the general fund $2.2 million and that a state audit is underway. The town board is expected to use the audit in considering whether to pursue a broader town property tax or a reassessment. The town has historically gone without a property tax; a 2025 budget proposal called for a one-year property tax of $0.73 per $1,000 of assessed value.

The highway tax would affect property owners in the Town of Watertown. Water and sewer district customers and highway department employees are also connected to the budget decisions. The Town of Watertown is separate from the City of Watertown and is located in Jefferson County.

The Town Board is scheduled to consider the budget at its Nov. 5 meeting, described in public reports as the budget due date. Residents may speak for or against the budget during the hearing. The town clerk’s office is at 22867 Brookside Drive and can be reached at (315) 782-8248. Updates are posted on the Town of Watertown notice board.