East Williston’s Village Board adopted a 2016-2017 budget Monday night with a $25,000 tax levy increase.
The $2.5 million budget will contains a tax rate increase of 0.775 percent following tax decreases in previous years, Mayor David Tanner said.
The $25,000 in additional tax revenue acts as a contingency in the budget for unforeseen circumstances such as repairs, operating flexibility and possible major equipment needs, the board said.
“While there is no formal contingency, we don’t want to over project revenues and under project expenditures,” Tanner said. “It’s easy to draw from (the reserve), but hard to build up on.”
A resident asked why the village didn’t use more of its $722,000 fund balance on top of the $74,000 in the budget to flatten the tax levy.
Tanner said the fund balance provides “operating liquidity” that would help the village in case of an emergency and helps the village maintain good credit.
“We’re at a pretty healthy case at this point,” he said Monday night. “It’s also our responsibility to prevent economic shock, so it’s a rainy day fund.”
The 2016-17 budget is about 4.3 percent larger than the 2015-16 adopted budget of $2,441,911.
Because the village cut property taxes last year, Tanner has said, the law allows it to carry over a certain levy increase beyond the 0.32 percent it’s allowed this year under state tax cap law.
“The village tax rate has consistently dropped over the last few years,” Village Treasurer Michael Delury said.
Sidewalk repairs are projected to be completed this spring, Tanner said, but the budget contains some money allocated for repairs if they take longer.
The Village Board also swore in former Mayor Anthony Casella as a newly elected trustee, alongside Christopher Siciliano who will now serve his second term on the board.
Casella and Siciliano won seats as the top two vote-winners in the March 15 village election.
Trustee Robert Vella resigned after serving one term starting in 2012. He decided not to pursure re-election this year.
Judge Joseph J. Sperber was sworn as Village Justice, and Emil Samuels as Associate Village Justice, as they will continue to conduct legal affairs of the village.
Phillip Chappo was sworn in as a member of the board of zoning appeals.
Trustees also said the East Williston Fire Department, which currently has about 60 members, is actively looking for new recruits.
“You’re always welcome to come by on Thursday nights from 8 to 10 p.m. when we drill,” said First Assistant Chief, Patrick Theodore.
The village Senior Committee is also looking for a volunteer to help establish and run a program, Tanner said.
