If approved, the Village of Williston Park’s tentative 2016-2017 budget would pierce the state-mandated tax levy cap for the fourth straight year.
While the proposed $96,085 tax levy increase nominally meets the state law’s 2-percent increase limit, it’s more than 10 times the 0.12-percent, or roughly $9,300, increase the village is allowed this year.
“That covers very little — one snowstorm,” Mayor Paul Ehrbar said.
The Village Board on Monday approved a local law giving itself the authority to override the tax levy cap, now in its fifth year.
The $6,035,365 budget reflects a 2.64-percent increase over last year’s adopted budget and allows the village to maintain its current staff, services and equipment needs, Ehrbar said.
The tax levy, about 81 percent of the village’s revenue, is set to rise to $4,889,778 from $4,793,693.
A net $65,857 hike in employee benefit costs accounts for about 42.5 percent of the $155,085 budget increase.
Health insurance and workers’ compensation costs are set to rise $56,000 and $13,784 respectively, while contributions to the state pension fund will decrease $3,927.
Higher salaries drive increases in other budget categories including village government support at 1.39 percent, public safety at 2.93 percent, transportation at 2.05 percent and home and community services at 1.04 percent, driven by a $10,760 rise in sanitation costs.
The budget projects debt payments will fall 0.88 percent. All other expense categories would stay flat.
The tentative budget reflects the costs of running the village increasing at a higher rate than the tax levy cap allows without any extra help from the state, Ehrbar said.
“The state hasn’t increased their aid to us in probably over 10 years, yet they continue to increase the aid to the schools,” he said.
Williston Park’s internal staff has not grown in the past six years as employees have taken on more responsibilities, Ehrbar said.
The village has cut some external staff, he said, but has “maintained the level of services that our residents expect.”
Library funding would increase by about 7 percent, or $29,220, to $442,223, though the library fund’s overall budget would decrease 0.48 percent to $469,473.
In addition to a larger property tax levy, the budget shows a $30,000 increase in court fines and $1,000 more in payments in lieu of taxes. Revenue from interest earnings is projected to fall by $4,500.
One member of the public was present at Monday’s budget hearing and did not make any comments.
Ehrbar said the budget could change before a likely vote at the Village Board’s April 18 meeting.
“There’s still a lot of issues that need to be discussed,” he said.
State law requires 60 percent of the board, or three trustees, to approve the budget with a 2-percent tax levy increase intact.
If approved, the proposed levy increase would be the second-lowest in Williston Park since the tax cap law took effect in 2012.
Trustees approved a $5.39 million 2012-2013 budget with a 1.96-percent levy increase, which fell under the tax levy cap in its first year.
