New Hartford residents could see a tax increase of 54%. The proposed 2010 New Hartford Town Budget is calling for the increase. 54.3% breaks down to a home with a property assessment of $150,000 will have to pay $507 in property tax. The increase is up $178.50 from last year. At a Town Board meeting, Town Supervisor Earle Reed explained that 14% of that increase is healthcare for town workers, which is contractual. He says on top of the 14% for healthcare, the town has lost money in sales tax revenue. "The Town of New Hartford has been too concervative in the past," Reed said. "The big thing was we overestimated our sales tax revenue. Basically, in the last couple of years, we lost about a million dollars in sales tax revenue, and that's pretty hard to make up." The final revision to the budget needs to be completed by November, before a public hearing to be scheduled on or before the Thursday immediately following the general election.