The trustees talked about the proposed 2009 budget for another 90 minutes Tuesday.
The trustees weighed reductions to the fire and police services in the village, but in the end they voted to basically level-fund the budget, and continue paying for full-time police and fire protection.
Bellows Falls residents have the highest tax rate in the state, and the trustees at the beginning of the budget process promised to do something about it.
But whenever they got close to reducing services, they backed away.
At the meeting Tuesday, the trustees approved a $1.5 million budget, which will keep the tax rate level for the coming year.
The trustees were able to keep taxes down this year because the town of Rockingham is taking over street lighting, saving village residents $46,500.
The trustees spent most of the night debating a proposal from Windham County Sheriff Keith Clark.
Clark offered to take over law enforcement in the village for about $670,000, a move that would have saved the village about $190,000 a year and reduced village taxes by about 14 percent.
The trustees talked about presenting the budget with Clark's number, and letting the residents put money back into the budget if they wanted to save the village police department.
In the end, they approved the budget with the village police force included, leaving it up to the voters at the annual meeting to slash the police department if there are enough people to make the move.
Throughout the budget process, village trustee Stefan Golec tried to talk the other board members into making the hard decisions, and making cuts to the 2009 budget.
"This board needs to step up to the plate for once," Golec said before the vote to keep the police department in place. "We've got to get a grasp on the reality of what this costs."
Village trustee Roger Riccio said he heard from downtown merchants who want the police protection, and he said it was too great a risk to dismantle the village department and try a new service with the sheriff without really understanding what that meant.
"Business owners are afraid that they would not survive without a full police department," said Riccio. "We need to leave this to the taxpayers. They need to make this decision."
Municipal manager Jim Mullen said he talked with Clark this week to discuss the service the sheriff proposed.
Clark originally said he would cover the village for $650,000, but Mullen said that number actually comes to $670,000 when all of the variables are taken into account.
There is still an approximately $217,000 difference, which would save the average taxpayer about $101 a year, Financial Manager John O'Connor said.
Riccio said that comes to about a cup of coffee a week, but village resident Scott Falzo disagreed.
"We hear the same thing every year. It's $60 here and $100 there," he said. "Whether it's big money or little money, you've go to start somewhere. It's nonsense. These are savings."
The trustees agreed to print up a separate budget with Sheriff Clark's proposal, which they said they would include in the annual report.
If enough voters want to cut the police department, they can make the motion from the floor of the annual meeting.
If the budget is approved as it is presented, Bellows Falls will have its police and fire departments, as well as its high tax rate, for one more year.
"We can't be afraid to change," said Golec.
Village president Clark Barber said the taxpayers should have the final say.
"Everybody has heard from the community. Everybody is feeling the pressure," said Barber. "We should let the voters decide. It's not right to just have five guys up here do it."
The budget will be considered from the floor of the annual meeting on May 19.
Howard Weiss-Tisman can be reached at hwtisman@reform-er.com or 802-254-2311 ext. 279.