$188.9 million plan keeps government operating at current levels while remaining under state-mandated tax cap
Huntington Supervisor Frank P. Petrone today presented a $188.9 million proposed 2015 Operating Budget, a no-frills, bare-bones spending plan that keeps government operating at current levels and provides the services Huntington residents expect and rely on while remaining under the state-mandated tax cap.
“This budget will allow the Town to continue to function at current levels of service, while maintaining a strong fiscal health and bond rating,” Supervisor Petrone wrote in his budget message. “I thank my fellow Board members for their support, which will ensure that Huntington taxpayers continue to benefit from consistent management policies and overall stability. “
The Supervisor also proposed a $12.965 million Capital Budget, which will be offset by $3 million in grant funding. The spending will focus on improvements to the Town’s infrastructure and construction of two new parks, Sweet Hollow and Burr’s Lane. Both are on the sites of former farms purchased by the Town in 2013
“These two new additions continue the recent focus, as exemplified by the completion and opening of Coral Park this year, on creating parks in underserved communities,” the Supervisor wrote. The proposal also lists as 2015 capital projects repairs to the LIRR South Parking Garage, interior renovations to the James Conte Community Center in Huntington Station and planning and design for spray parks in the Huntington Station and the Elwood communities.
In his budget message, the Supervisor cited stress factors such as continuing flat mortgage tax revenue; ever increasing costs of goods, supplies and utilities; collective bargaining agreement contractual increases; and increased medical and pension costs as factors that required difficult choices this year and make budget choices difficult going forward. Together, those factors contributed to an estimated slight tax increase of 2.9 percent, which is within the Town’s state-mandated tax cap. The proposal freezes the salaries of elected officials.
Among the other priorities listed in the summary accompanying the budget is to replenish to pre-Super Storm Sandy levels various reserves and fund balances. The Town tapped into them over the years to stabilize taxes during some of the worst economic times experienced by this Country. To help accomplish that goal, the Supervisor noted in his message, he will be working with fellow Town Board members on the development of an incentive program, to encourage employee retirements at year’s end.
A public hearing on the budget will be held at 6 p.m. on October 21.
In other action, at its meeting today the Town Board:
-- because of the project’s size and location, and based on a recommendation from the Town Planning Board, issued a positive declaration for a shopping center proposed for a site on Jericho Turnpike at Manor Road in Elwood. This requires the developer to conduct a study identifying and analyzing any potential environmental impacts and to present a plan for remediation. The developer is seeking a zone change to allow the project to proceed.
-- authorized the emergency reconstruction of the Halesite bulkhead, at an estimated cost of $2.3 million. The town expects to be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for all or part of the cost.
-- voted to ban smoking at Town beaches. Previously, smoking was only banned at Town playgrounds. The ban does not include the parking lots at the beaches.
-- approved changes on procedures regarding commercial shellfishing permits. The changes reduce the number of allowed annual permits to 125, tighten residency requirements eliminate a preapproved list of previous permit holders, raise to 65 the age for a senior permit and adjust the required fees.
-- set an Oct. 21 public hearing on a proposal to require non-owner-occupied residential properties to obtain permits before they can be shown or rented.
-- set an Oct. 21 public hearing to consider placing a historic designation on the Jupiter Hammon House, 73 West Shore Road, Huntington. Hammon was a poet who became the first African-American writer to be published in the United States. He is considered one of the founders of African-American literature.