North Hempstead releases tentative $105.72 million budget

Janelle Clausen
North Hempstead Town Hall in Manhasset. (Courtesy of Google Maps)

The Town of North Hempstead pitched a $105.72 million tentative budget on Thursday night, which currently calls for a 2.3 percent increase in spending between the general fund and town outside village fund that falls within the state tax cap.

Overall this would be a $2.38 million increase from the current $103.3 million budget.

It’s possible that the budget could change over the course of October before a final vote on Thursday, Nov. 1.

The Town Board will be hosting a work session on Wednesday, Oct. 3, at 10 a.m., a public hearing for the tentative budget on Thursday, Oct. 11, and a hearing on the preliminary budget on Thursday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m.

“The tentative budget gives a general picture of my administration’s planning, and is now ready for analysis, suggestions, and reactions by the public and our Town Council members,” Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said. “Rest assured that, no matter what changes are made, the tax levy in the final version of the budget will remain in the state tax cap.

According to the tentative budget, spending with the general fund – which serves all residents, including those within and outside villages – would rise $1.66 million from the current $66.95 million to $68.62 million, or 2.4 percent.

The general fund includes facility maintenance, park management, the Department of Services for the Aging, the Department of Human Resources, public safety, the public works department and salaries for town administrators and officials.

The Department of Park and Recreation, which manages Manorhaven Park, Michael J. Tully Park, the Clark Botantic Garden, the “Yes We Can” Community Center and Harbor Links golf course makes up the biggest chunk of the general fund. Overall its budget is slated to rise from $16.57 million to $17.26 million, a difference of $687,412, or 4.1 percent.

The tentative budge pitches a $319,900 increase for the Department of Human Services from $12.15 million to $12.47 million. Most of this increase would come from increasing health care costs, which are budgeted to rise from $5.82 million to $6.24 million – more than half its budget.

According to the budget, the office of the comptroller’s budget would rise $113,944 from $4.35 million to $4.46 million – a difference of about 2.61 percent.

The receiver of taxes’ office would see its budget rise $145,453 from $2 million to about $2.14 million, or 7.26 percent.

Public safety’s budget is proposed to rise from $1.34 million to $1.41 million. This includes an increase in personal services costs from $156,433 to $232,971.

Under the tentative budget, the town would also invest $90,384 more into its information technology department, bringing its budget up 5.1 percent from $1.76 million to $1.85 million.

In terms of percentages, the Department of Environmental Facilities would see the largest increase under the tentative budget. It would go up $356,567 from $1.12 million to $1.48 million, or 31.69 percent.

The town outside village fund is meanwhile slated to increase its budget $716,957 from $36.38 million to $37.09 million, or an increase of 1.97 percent.

This outside village fund goes toward the building department, planning department and highway division, which is responsible for maintaining more than 280 miles of town roadways.

Paired with the $105.72 million tentative budget are 46 town operated special district budgets, which handle services like fire protection, garbage disposal, parks, libraries, water and sewers in specific parts of the town.

Residents residing within those district’s borders fund these districts.

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