Village Passes $11.2M Budget That Includes Tax Hike

The Lindenhurst Village Board has passed its budget for the fiscal year running from March 1, 2013 to February 28, 2014.

The $11.2 million budget is up 2.61 percent from $10.9 million in 2012-13.

The budget shows no increase in the MTA tax and sanitation fee - which stays at $202 per one-family home.

And, according to Village Administrator Shawn Cullinane, there are no cuts to services.

During his brief overview of the budget at the start of the scheduled public hearing on Tuesday night, Cullinane told the smattering of residents in attendance that this year's budget will allow the Village "to continue the work we do."

But the 2.61 percent budget year-over-year increase in the tax levy pierced the 2.06 percent tax cap as allowed by New York State by .55 percent - something the Village said it couldn't avoid doing after plugging in its numbers into the online formula set up by the state comptroller's office.

New York State-mandated increases in such items as employee pensions and health benefits were to blame for the year-over-year increase in the budget, Cullinane, Mayor Tom Brennan and Trustee Mike Lavorata all noted.

"A lot of the increases in the budget are out of our control and are state mandated," the mayor said. "They tell us what we need to pay."

As a result the new budget also included a 3.48 percent increase in the tax rate, which translates to an increase of 49 cents per $100 of assessed home value, or an increase of $17.15 for the average home assessed at $3,500.

During the brief public hearing the Board held before passing the budget, Daniel Street Civic Assoication President John Lisi brought up one concern in a community that was rocked by Hurricane Sandy.

"With the devastation after Sandy, what if we start seeing a lot of houses start dropping off the tax rolls?" Lisi asked.

Mayor Brennan indicated there was legislation being discussed in Albany right now that would allow for mid-year assessment reductions to take into consideration damage sustained as a result of Sandy.

And, according to information on the Town of Babylon website, New York State Assemblyman Robert Sweeney and NYS Senator-Elect Phil Boyle are sponsoring this proposed legislation that's "similar to legislation passed last year in response to Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, which allowed property that lost 50 percent or more of its value and remained in that state to be reassessed based upon its post-storm condition."

If this legislation is ultimately passed - and there's no word yet on the status of the legislation - it wouldn't affect Village residents' 2013-14 tax rate.

But Cullinane and Brennan both told Lindenhurst Patch that, if passed, it could cause next year's tax rate to increase.

As for the possible impact of the NYS legislation on the Village's 2013-14 budget, Cullinane said cuts would have to be made to it, so it could be a concern for that reason, as well.

Related Coverage:

• Village's Proposed 2013-14 Budget Tops Tax Cap 
• Village of Lindenhurst Approves Bonds to Cover Hurricane Sandy Costs
• VOL Displays New Stormwater Filtration System
• Lindenhurst Village Sets Two Upcoming Public Hearings
• After Sandy - Long Island Recovers
• Hurricane Sandy Long Island
• The Latest Sandy Updates
• Lindenhurst Village Board Approves $10.9 Million Budget for 2012-13

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