Proposed Village Budget Increases Taxes 9.7 Percent

Babylon Village introduced a proposed budget that will seek a 9.71 percent increase on property taxes as the village attempts to make up funds and assessed value lost due to Hurricane Sandy at the public budget hearing on Monday evening at Babylon Village Hall.

The $8.888 million proposed budget features a roughly $300,000 increase from the 2012-2013 budget, which totalled $8.587 million. According to Mayor Ralph Scordino, the village used roughly an eighth of its budget in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in October, between cleaning up and starting repairs.

"This is a little different budget than any other in past as mayor," Scordino said. He credited Valerie Fronzo, village treasurer, with creating a budget he said was fair, especially in the aftermath of the storm. "The ramafications on our fleet at the Highway Department... and reduction in assessments have produced this budget."

The village residents will provide just under 66 percent of the next year's revenue as state aid to the village dropped about 11 percent from the previous year to $482,510. New York State gave the village $536,153 in 2012-2013 and $1.551 million in 2011-2012, by comparison. In 2011-2012, the village's real estate taxes provided for nearly half of the budget.

The tax rate per $100 of assessed valulation increased $1.26 to $14.24 from the previous year.

The proposed budget features holds on the salaries of the mayor and the Board of Trustees, with Scordino making $15,000 a year and the four board members amounting to $30,000 total.

The board reserved decision on the budget, which must be approved and passed by May 1.