Council to Introduce Budget Next Week

It shouldn't come as much surprise–taxes are going up. The Ridgewood Village Council, after over the past few months, will likely be introducing a budget next week that could see the average resident's municipal tax bill go up anywhere between 5.2 percent and 7.4 percent.

Village Manager Ken Gabbert said on Wednesday at the council's budget wrap-up that because of exemptions to the 2 percent cap in health benefits, pensions and deferred charges as well as emergencies, the net budget is above that of the state-mandated 2 percent cap.

The council agreed to bring in an introduced budget of 7.4 percent higher than that of last year as a starting point, council members and officials said. The budget will be introduced on Wednesday, April 13 at the council public meeting. "Introduction does not mean in any way that the budget process is over," Gabbert said.

Those exemptions outside of the cap total $1.6 million, while every other expense the municipality is responsible for does not exceed the 2 percent cap total, Gabbert said.

The three items will reach $1.6 million in cost, with health benefits rising to $623,000; pensions soaring up to roughly $600,000; and brutal winter storms notching $380,000.

Gabbert exlpained the proposed 7.4 percent budget increase includes al department head requests to onboard laid off workers (from engineering, Ridgewood Water, municipal court, recycling/sanitation, etc.) though it would not include the costs for the two police officers, currently in academy and expected to join in the fall; the three firefighters that are paid for by a for the next two years; $76,000 the library has requested to close its budget; and Village Clerk Heather Mailander's request to promote Deputy Clerk Stephanie Evans from part-time to full time, to help the department fulfill open public record requests.

The average home, assessed just south of $800,000, would see an increase of $255 should the 7.4 percent stand. It would amount to a $32 increase per every $100,000 valuation.

Should further cuts be warranted, Gabbert said the council could drop to 5.98 percent by cutting roughly $420,000 more; 5.49 percent with a larger cut of $567,000; or 5.2 percent, which would require over $650,000 more to be etched out of the 7.4 percent budget.

The public hearings will likely begin in May with final adoption expected in early June, Gabbert reported.