Kensington budget under state tax cap

Dan Glaun

The Kensington Board of Trustees introduced a $3.4 million 2013-2014 budget at Wednesday night’s meeting, funded in part by a 1.3 percent increase in the village’s tax levy.

Among the new costs projected in the budget is $30,000 for bond issuance. 

Kensington Mayor Susan Lopatkin said the village is considering repaving its roads, and needed to incorporate potential expenses into the budget in case it decides to take out a bond this year.

“We’re way, way under the tax cap,” Lopatkin said.

The county devalued Kensington homes in last year’s assessments, according to Lopatkin, leading the village to hike individual tax rates by 16 percent to compensate for the reduced tax base. 

But because the assessments are lower, the overall dollar impact on households will be minimized and the village’s total tax levy will stay below the cap, she said.

The village is projecting $52,000 less in road repair and maintenance costs compared to 2012-2013 as a result of the planned repaving, which would make such spending redundant.

The budget also reflects $80,000 in savings for recreation department repairs and maintenance relative to last year’s budget, which Lopatkin attributed to the end of a major project at the village’s pool.

“Last year we had significant expenses because we were upgrading our pool facility,” Lopatkin said. “This year we don’t have that.”

The budget also includes a $30,500 jump in legal expenses. Village attorney Peter Mineo said there is pending litigation that will likely cost the village more in legal fees than in typical years.

Lopatkin said the village spent about $125,000 in recovery costs from Hurricane Sandy, and anticipates the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state to reimburse the village for much of those costs.

Like in past years, the biggest expense category in the budget is public safety. The village projects $1.42 million in such spending, driven by $1.01 million in police compensation and $208,000 in fire-service payments.

The second biggest category is $693,000 in employee benefits, followed by $503,000 in transportation costs.

Reach reporter Dan Glaun by e-mail at dglaun@theislandnow.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x203. Also follow us on Twitter @theislandnow1 and Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow.

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