Arkwright Supervisor Brian McAvoy offered some insight that many do not consider when it comes to putting together a spending plan. His thoughts came after the town reduced its tax rate by 1.8%.

Though the town’s biggest claim to fame may be that it was one of the first to venture into deals with wind-turbine companies, McAvoy recently remarked about assessment, fair market value and equalization rates. He said the fair market value of the homes in the town have increased 67% over the last 10 years.

His point: the town offers a “competitive” tax rate compared to neighboring towns.

McAvoy is absolutely correct. But Arkwright has a couple of items in its favor.

First, its town’s median income is more than $94,000, according to the U.S. Census. Second, there are a total of 546 homes in the municipality.

In addition, the town does not have the overhead some villages and cities have that are impacting budgets here and across the state. Those are the police and fire departments, which Arkwright has contracts with other towns and villages.

Arkwright’s success — and impressive numbers — deserve credit. But in the big picture, it’s a town that serves 1,008 residents and provides few services, including a highway department.

That keeps costs down in smaller entities — while those with higher populations are struggling to make ends meet.