$$$ Breaking down your tax bill $$$

 In thinking about our town's taxes, I thought it might be helpful to break down some numbers for you.  In East Greenbush, a home assessed at $275,000 pays about $165 per month in taxes, an amount including water/sewer and transfer station fees. (If a resident does not have access to water and sewer, or uses private trash removal, the $165  would be less those fees)  For this amount, residents have access to many services.  These include 24 hour/365 days per year fire, ambulance, and police protection, regular maintenance and repair of miles of town roads, full time town hall assistance such as town clerk, code inspection, building and water departments, and court and legal services.  A user-friendly transfer station, five parks, a thriving library, active zoning and planning committees and engineers to ensure the safety and reliability of our structures are all part of the package.  In fact, the share of your tax dollars that go to the town are small indeed when compared to those of the county, schools, state and nation.  We understand that no taxes at all would be preferable, but living in a town without services would, indeed, be difficult and unpleasant!