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Politics & Government

Board Discusses Tentative Budget at Hearing

Mayor expects current proposed budget to decrease before officially adopted.

 

A hearing on the 2012-13 tentative budget was held at on Monday night as part of a meeting of the Lynbrook Board of Trustees. The budget must be officially adopted by May 1, according to the board.  

The tentative budget, as posted on the village website, stands at $35,419,716, a 5.9 percent increase from 2011-12, and calls for a tax levy increase of Although the budget process is still ongoing, Mayor William Hendrick told reporters following the meeting that he expects that figure to decrease before the budget is officially adopted. 

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State mandates represent a large portion of the increase, according to Village Administrator John Giordano.

“We would have easily stayed at the two percent tax cap, if it wasn’t for the state mandated charges,” Giordano said. 

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Retirement premiums increased by $200,000 and health insurance increased by $250,000, according to Giordano.    

“That’s almost the two percent [cap] right there,” he said.

The board also revealed that five police officers are retiring. Under the current contract, the village must provide severance packages for four of those officers. The five retirements represent an unusually high number, according to the board. 

“That alone is equivalent to a 3 percent tax increase,” Giordano said of the severance payments.

However, Giordano said there is some good news.

“One of the highlights on the expense side was that there were over 90 line items that board and department heads were able to reduce,” Giordano said. 

The administrator also added that the village’s $3.2 million will pay for itself every year for the next 15 years, acting as another highlight in the proposed budget.     

The presented their budget requests prior to the hearing. 

Although part of the fire department budget, each company negotiates it’s own rent. Former Fire Chief David Pearsall spoke for all companies, negotiating a 1.25 percent increase in village rent payments for the new fiscal year. 

“The six houses are all private corporations,” Pearsall said. “The rent is used to handle the running of the property - insurance, utilities, and upkeep.”

Heat is a large expense for the houses because doors are open for “extended periods of time during the winter,” according to Pearsall.  

First Assistant Chief Anthony DeCarlo presented the fire department budget. The budget is tentatively listed at $1,115,660, according to the village website. 

Some increases in the fire department budget include secretary salaries, contracted services, and computer costs, according to DeCarlo. 

The department’s computer costs include three new Dell computers, software upgrades, and a new laser printer, according to Honorary Fire Chief Edward Murphy.

Murphy also presented the Emergency Management section of the budget. This portion only carries a small increase from the 2011-12 budget. The jump comes after purchasing a radio antennae in the EM office. 

What areas of the village would you like to see addressed in this year's budget? Tell us in comments. 

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