Patchogue Village Tax Alerts: 2/10/14

This is the second blog in a series that is going to appear from now until the adoption of the 2014 Village budget sometime in April. The views expressed are mine alone. Here is some important information.

Village Tax Grievance deadline nears: if you are thinking of grieving your village taxes the time to do so is drawing near. The meeting for doing so is next week: 2/18/14 at Village Hall. Forms needed to do so can be requested from the Village Clerk. Picking them up directly from that office at this point in time is the fastest course of action. Please direct all questions about these forms, how they are to be filled out, and submitted to staff at that office including information for appearing at the tax grievance meeting. Emails about this subject may be sent to the Village Clerk whose email address appears on the village website. Click to elected and appointed officials: http://www.patchoguevillage.org.

NY State Comptroller's office report: A statewide assessment of the financial stress levels of all village governments in NY State was recently announced. Good news: Patchogue Village comes up very low in terms of fiscal stress. To see the full report including details about Patchogue Village go to: https://www.osc.state.ny.us. Look for it at the upper right of the front page: news article that refers to villages in fiscal stress.... follow the links to individual village reports to see the specific breakdown of the Patchogue Village's financial status. Useful information for any person wanting to know more about the current status of the village's finances.

Bonding issues tonight: while the Comptroller's report is very positive about the village's fiscal status it does not take account new indebtedness the village is considering tonight when the Board meets. One short term and one long term bond is on the agenda for approval. More facts about both these proposed bonds are expected to be disclosed tonight at the meeting. Anyone interested in these developments are reminded that the Board meeting is open to the public and at the end of the meeting public comment is welcome. Meeting 6 pm at Village Hall 2/10/14.

Tax watch: the village has announced on its web page that a new civil service position that will cost 46,000 with benefits may be created in the future. The title for that post is: Assistant Code Enforcement Supervisor. See for more details on the front page of the village website : http://www.patchoguevillage.org. The position is part time with a minimum twenty hour a week schedule.

And just to add some opinion into the comment on the above issue I would like to express my reservations as a tax payer. If we are going to bring village finances down so that village government can freeze taxes at a two percent rate of growth other alternatives to creating a well paid part time position with long term other financial costs for the benefits that will come with this appointment should be considered first. They won't be unless the public demands it and it should. Taxpayers are responsible for paying every tax dollar and no tax dollars should be spent unless every alternative has in fact been disclosed and the reason for going ahead with an expensive hire is completely justified in light of all alternatives that have been examined.