Village Board Releases Details on 2011-12 Budget

On Monday, the Lynbrook village board announced a preliminary budget plan in the amount of $33.48 million, representing a 6.4 percent increase in property taxes from the current year.

The 2011-12 spending plan, which will likely be adopted at the April 25 village board meeting, represents a 3.4 percent increase in total expenditure from 2010-11.

Village trustees say they have been looking to keep costs down, acknowledging the precarious financial times that many residents are experiencing; but added that a large portion of village spending increases can be attributed to mandated costs and a loss of revenue.

The village will be paying close to $630,000 more for loss of assessed valuation, $547,000 more to the state pension system, $115,000 more for workers compensation insurance, and $53,000 more in taxes to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority — better known as the "MTA tax."

"These are going to hit us hard," said Lynbrook Mayor Bill Hendrick. "They're state mandated — [the state] is asking for them and we have to pay them."

The village is also on the hook for roughly $700,000 in tax certiorari payments, some of which may be bonded, the mayor said.

Hendrick commended his village department heads for submitting modest budget plans themselves, understanding they likely would not get all the new equipment they want or need in these tough economic times. The mayor added that 80 percent of the village budget is remaining constant, with just 15 percent of it discretionary.

"We've been going over every line and moving down spending as we see how much revenue there is," Hendrick said. "Our revenue is made up mostly of fines and taxes — that's where it is. We have to look at cutting as much spending as possible to get to a living amount."

The board plans to adopt the village budget on April 25, and must pass it by May 25. Of note, the board cancelled its April 18 and May 2 meetings in honor of Passover and the Centennial Golf Outing, respectively. The next meeting is on Monday, April 25 at 7 p.m. at .