The 2017-18 budget for Roslyn Estates will likely exceed the New York State property tax cap of 0.68 percent, Roslyn Estates Mayor Jeffrey Schwartzberg announced on Monday.
“There’s a reasonable chance there will be a tax increase that will exceed the cap,” Schwartzberg said. “Primarily because of road work.”
At its meeting on Monday the Board of Trustees unanimously approved a law authorizing the village to pass a future tax levy in excess of the cap.
“What we’re talking about is something more than a ‘just in case,’” Schwartzberg said.
Earlier this year, the village passed a $650,000 bond for road work that will be paid in increments of $65,000 per year over a 10-year period, Schartzberg said.
The village’s overall budget is usually $1.3 million or $1.4 million, Schwartzberg said.
The additional bond expense would increase village spending next year by approximately four or 5 percent.
The road work plan includes about 30 percent of the eight miles of roads in the village, Schwartzberg said.
The village intends to put out a solicitation for bids and to select a contractor by April 15, said Bryan Rivera, the clerk/treasurer in Roslyn Estates.
Village officials said they hope the work will be completed by memorial day but it will likely take until mid-June.
“If we plan for memorial day, it will be done by June 15,” Schwartzberg said.
Nine months into its 2016-17 budget, the village is $70,000 ahead of what it budgeted, due to revenue up $44,000 and costs down $26,000, Schwartzberg said.
Monday’s meeting was the last for Schwartzberg, who will not run for re-election on Tuesday.
“I’m leaving the village in a better place than when we started,” Schwartzberg said. “That’s pretty much all you can hope for.”
Trustee Paul Peters is running unopposed to replace Schwartaberg.
If Peters wins, his first Board meeting as mayor will take place on April 4, when the village holds a public hearing regarding its 2017-18 budget.
