Several Tompkins County towns have scheduled public hearings to discuss their preliminary budget proposals.

* Dryden plans a hearing tonight at 7 p.m., to review its $8.2 million budget, $1.2 million of which is to be raised by town taxes, with an additional $1.45 million through special fire, lighting, water and sewer district taxes. The rest is to be covered through $3.04 million of estimated revenue, and $2.5 million of fund balance. The town tax rate is set to remain the same as 2009, at $1.43 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The full preliminary budget can be viewed online at: www.dryden.ny.us/budget/2010PrelimBudget5MB.pdf

* Caroline will also hold a public hearing tonight, at 7:30 p.m., to review its $2.22 million preliminary budget, $1.17 million of which is to be raised through town taxes. The rest is to be covered through $794,570 in estimated revenues and $260,000 in fund balance. The town levy would decrease by 1 percent, and the tax rate from $6.08 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2009 to $5.92. The full preliminary budget can be viewed online at: www.townofcaroline.org/2009/10/24/preliminary-budget-download/

* Lansing's public hearing will take place at 6 tonight to review its $5.4 million budget, $2.24 million of which is to be raised by town taxes, with an additional $23,479 through special lighting, water and sewer district taxes. The rest is to be covered through $3.1 million of estimated revenue, and $60,000 of fund balance. The town tax rate is set to decrease 4.59 percent from 2009, going from $1.80 to $1.72 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

* An increase in Ulysses' fire protection contract with the Village of Trumansburg could lead to a 13 cent increase in the town tax rate. An additional 2 cent increase to run town services will bring the rise to $2.38 per $1,000 of assessed property value, 6.65 percent higher than 2009. A public hearing will take place at 7 p.m. tonight to review the proposed $2.08 million budget, $1.06 million of which will be covered by estimated revenue, and $170,000 of fund balance. The full preliminary budget can be viewed online at: www.ulysses.ny.us/tou-2010-prelim-budget.pdf

* The Town of Ithaca is holding a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5 to hear comment on its $19.6 million budget, $2.68 million of which is to be raised by town taxes with an additional $3.89 million to be raised through special fire, lighting, water and sewer district taxes. The rest is to be covered through $11.8 million of estimated revenue and $1.28 million out of the fund balance. The total town tax levy is proposed to rise 1.87 percent, while the overall tax rate among town, fire, and a newly proposed highway tax would remain flat from last year. The town's proposed budget is not available online, but is available in Town Hall, 215 N. Tioga St.

* Newfield is still crafting its preliminary budget, but the town board has scheduled a public hearing for Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7pm.

* Groton has already approved its $2.2 million budget after holding a hearing on Oct. 13. Town taxes will contribute $1.33 million to that sum, with an additional $526,835 coming from estimated revenue and $335,000 through fund balance. The town tax rate is set to decrease by one cent from 2009, at $6.18 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The full budget can be viewed at the town clerk's office.