Hempstead Town Notebook: 2012 Budget Discussion

Town's 2012 Budget

Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray has presented a 2012 budget proposal that freezes all town taxes at 2011 levels.

According to Murray, Hempstead Town has not taken the same path that many governments have taken — the “path of least resistance in budgetary decision making." The town supervisor said that the town has made a point of not cutting services, slashing capital improvement programs or increases borrowing to unsustainable levels — in an attempt to prop up sagging budgets.

Here are a few highlights of the budget:

• Budgeted salaries and wages in the proposed 2012 budget will rise less that 1 percent or $1.5 million. By contrast, total compensation costs in the region for private sector employees during the most recent one-year period for which data is available rose by 2.6 percent.
• The township provides a share of local services enjoyed by residents, excepting primary/secondary education and police protection, while constituting nine cents of every tax dollar — less than one cent of every tax dollar goes toward town services for residents of incorporated villages.
• Hempstead Town has reduced total debt service cost by $6.3 million since 2010 (includes 2012 proposed budget).

However, Gary Port, the Democratic candidate for town supervisor, said that the town's 2012 budget is "full of gimmicks and misleading statements."

"How are they freezing taxes when all expenses are going up in virtually every department? Murray says that the Town provides top-notch services at the lowest possible cost, but this obvious doesn't apply to the animal shelter whose cost is twice that of any shelter of comparable size in the nation," he said.

Port added: "Team Murray's claim to provide 'top notch' service is not borne out by the pothole riddled streets, abandoned stores and decaying parks. Under the Murray administration fees continue to go up. A fee increase is a tax increase."

Click here to see more on the 2012 budget.

Town Announces October Road Improvement Projects

The Town of Hempstead has announced three road improvement projects. The projects will take place in Wantagh.

• Road Improvement Project includes a portion of Island Road in Wantagh: The project will include the construction of new curbs, driveway aprons, installation of pedestrian access ramps at all intersections, new asphalt pavement and the restoration of disturbed grass areas. The project is expected to begin in mid-October and end in December.
• Road Improvement Project includes Disc Lane in Wantagh: The project will include the construction of new curbs, driveway aprons, installation of pedestrian access ramps at all intersections, new asphalt pavement and the restoration of disturbed grass areas. The project is expected to begin in mid-October and complete in December.
• Road Improvement Project includes a portion of Holiday Park Drive in Wantagh: The project will include the construction of new curbs, driveway aprons, installation of pedestrian access ramps at all intersections, new asphalt pavement and the restoration of disturbed grass areas. The project is expected to begin in mid-October and complete in December.