RSS 2.0 FeedThursday, October 20, 2011, Merrick Life
Town of Hempstead approves budget
$414.8 million plan includes no tax increases.
The Hempstead Town Board unanimously passed a $414.8 million budget for 2012. The budget represents a 2.9% increase over this year’s budget of $403 million, and includes no tax increases to town residents.
“No service cuts,” said Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray.
The town said it will receive about $263.5 million in property taxes, or about nine cents of every tax dollar that residents pay. It will also take $30 million from its reserve fund to help keep taxes flat. This represents about 25% of the reserve fund balance, according to town spokeswoman Susie Pokalsky.
“It’s one of the reasons we have a triple A credit rating,” said Ms. Pokalsky. She also pointed to a reduction in the debt service by $6.3 million. The total debt service for 2012 is $48.9 million, or about 11% of the budget.
The town has set aside $50 million for capital projects, including a $6 million project to refurbish Camp Anchor at Lido Beach into “a state-of-the-art recreation center for children with special needs,” explained Ms. Pokalsky.
Salaries and wages will rise a little less than 1%, by $1.5 million. There will be no increases to fees or services.
However, the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter in Wantagh will increase its budget by 13.7%, for a total allocation of $7.45 million.
Not everyone agrees with the budget assessment, however. “Team Murray’s budget is flawed and leaves more questions than answers,” said Gary Port, Democratic candidate for Hempstead Town Supervisor. “An estimated $30 million in reserves is being used and there are significant increases in virtually every department.
“In addition, Murray’s budget increases postage costs over 25% of the 2010 level and will only expend $10,000 to fund a study to help Aqua Water customers reduce their water bill. This is outrageous. Aqua Water sells water at over four times the average rate that other residents pay. Murray is making a public policy decision to save her political mailers versus helping those in need.”
Wilton Robinson, the Democratic candidate for Receiver of Taxes, also questioned the budget. “Use the reserve fund to cut taxes,” he said. Mr. Robinson also pointed to the budget at the animal shelter. “It is too big. Let the volunteers in there to do their job. Let them run it and reduce the expenditures at the shelter.”
But Supervisor Murray defended the budget, saying the spending plan offers “best budgetary practices and fiscal responsibility at a time when many governments at all levels are in fiscal free-fall.”
