Village Approves Proposed Budget; Discusses Incomes, Expenses

Despite voting for the the state-imposed two-percent tax cap, the Patchogue Village Board of Trustees unanimously approved a budget that featured a 1.13 percent increase on the tax levy on Tuesday at .

Village treasurer Ronald Krawczyk said that the budget will lead to about a $56 increase per household that lives in Patchogue Village.

Due to a $600,000 decline in the Village's assessed valuation from the previous year, the tax rate itself increased by 3.9 percent said Krawczyk.

Krawczyk also said that no Village employee will be receiving any salary increases, and that several department requests for new vehicles among other requests have been denied in order to save money.

Some residents that attended said during public comment that they hope the Village will look at even more ways to cut.

Resident Mary Kassner said at the meeting that its important to determine what is needed versus what is wanted.

Kassner asked about lines in the budget such as the contract for $592,000, which is the half that Patchogue Village covers with the Town of Brookhaven covering the other half.

Trustee William Hilton mentioned that there are currently discussions with the Company to have them start charging health insurance companies for responding to calls.

Also discussed were lines that included the costs of maintaining and the holiday parades among other events held in the Village.

Hilton said that the Village is starting to charge organizations for events such as these to cover the cost of Village code enforcement.

Other challenges that this budget faces is the start of Patchogue Village covering snow removal instead of being reimbursed by Brookhaven Town , which is estimated to cost $200,000, Krawczyk said.

Also brought up is the subject of tax abatements, which trustee Tom Ferb said has to do with the Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency (IDA).

"It's a County agency that gives tax abatements to places that build things like , Briarcliffe, and they last 10 to 15 years," Ferb said. "We have no say in it, it's just dicatated to us by the IDA."

Ferb also said that this preferential treatment is expiring in the 2013 tax season for , and as a result the Village is going to start receiving $100,000 a year in funds that have not been previously received.

Krawczyk also said the Village is looking into getting new health insurance companies in hopes to save additional money.

Another potential income source are the homes in the Clare Rose project, which Krawczyk said could bring $1,000,000 back in taxes to the Village if 20 properties are sold in the next year.

The full budget can be read in the attached PDF.

What are your thoughts on the 2012-2013 Patchogue Village budget? Tell us in the comments below.