For the 2018-2019 season, we have a budget of roughly $2.1 million, which includes major, local, and MDOT roads. Plowing is funded by state Public Act 51 money, which comes from the gas and weight taxes. Local taxes do not fund snow plowing operations. Overall, our budgets have started to increase, but we face increased expenses. We deal with fuel costs, equipment costs (a dump truck cost $70,000 in 2000 and $125,000 in 2012), and salt costs.
We place two salt orders for the year. In 2018-2019, our early order (October delivery) was 500 tons at $60.43 per ton. Our seasonal order (throughout the winter) was 5,500 tons at $54.45 per ton. Total, that's nearly $330,000 for the season.