Village's Proposed 2013-14 Budget Tops Tax Cap

The Village of Lindenhurst's preliminary budget for 2013-14 calls for a tax increase, but no cuts to services.

According to a report on Newsday.com, the proposed 2013-14 budget is $11.15 million. That's up 2.61 percent from the current fiscal year budget (2012-13) of $10.87 million.

The report  said the tentative 2013-14 budget raises the tax rate by 3.48 percent, which translates to an increase of 49 cents per $100 of assessed home value.

It also said taxes would increase $17 for the average home assessed at $3,500.

The sanitation fee will remain at $202 per one-family home, and no community services have been cut, Village officials said, according to the report.

The proposed budget does pierce the New York state tax cap, and officials said this was necessary given rising pension and health care costs, according to the report.

Village Administrator Shawn Cullinane said the Village's NYS tax cap is estimated at slightly more than two percent.

"We couldn't keep up with what the state is recommending," Cullinane said in the report, adding pension costs alone have been increasing in the Village at more than two percent per year.

Staying below the tax cap would mean severe cuts to services in the Village, he said. "To comply with the law just doesn't work," Cullinane said in the report.

Furthermore, the report said the preliminary 2013-14 budget shows local pension fund costs rising 2.94 percent this year to $350,000 while state retirement costs are increasing 13.68 percent to $648,000.

Medical insurance costs are estimated to increase 10.37 percent to $1.44 million, and mortgage revenue is projected to continue to drop, next year slipping 7.94 percent to $290,000, the report added.

Cullinane said the Village has tried to contain costs by obtaining concessions from union workers who are contributing more to their health care. "There's a lot of people giving on this end but we're not seeing it on the other end in what is being mandated by the state," he said in the report.

Cullinane also said it also remains to be seen how much the Village will be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Hurricane Sandy-related damage. The Village recently voted to bond for $2 million to pay for storm damage.

The tentative budget is available for review at Village Hall, and a , at 7:30 p.m. at Village Hall.

Related Coverage:

• 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

Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Sign up for our newsletter | Post an announcement