Village Budgets at a Glance

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April 5, 2016

Irvington

At its April 4 meeting the Irvington Village Board was scheduled to hold a public hearing on its tentative budget for 2016-17—a budget that totals just under $17 million and represents a 1.68% increase in expenditures over the year past.

The all-important measure of what it does to the tax rate is slightly lower—at 1.42%, making the tax rate $298.96 per thousand of assessed value.

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Behind the tax rate rise is an increase in expenditures of $278,982, of which $144,207 came from higher health care costs, $61,418 in higher debt service and provisions for wage increases expected from negotiations with police and other village employees. Offsetting savings come in large part from lower state retirement fund contributions, energy savings and smaller certiorari settlements. The village also brought in more revenue from Building Department fees and film permits that garnered more than $100,000.

The New York State Tax Levy Cap, which has been in effect for five years, has served as a major factor in keeping costs down and the search for greater revenue active. Because Irvington has kept below the mandated cap, it will qualify village residents for a rebate under Property Tax Freeze legislation. With the higher property assessments coming out of Greenburgh at the end of this past month, those rebates will be a premium for tax-besieged Irvingtonians.

Sleepy Hollow

Mayor Ken Wray’s tentative budget presented March 20 calls for a 2.9% tax increase in 2016-17 after village residents experienced a 3% decrease a year ago, thanks to the sale of the former General Motors property.

However, Village Administrator Anthony Giaccio said history has shown under Wray’s seven years as mayor that the final budget that will be adopted by the Board of Trustees by May 1 often includes changes from the preliminary spending plan.

“I know Mayor Wray likes to give the village board the opportunity to manipulate the budget one way or the other,” Giaccio said. “He likes to put in a lot of flexibility.”
Public hearings on the budget are scheduled for April 5 and 12.

Tarrytown

Village Administrator Michael Blau said the tentative budget for 2016-17 carries the lowest tax increase in the last 20 years at 1.14%, which will result in the average homeowner paying an additional $52.50.

Blau attributed the low tax hike to an increase in the assessment roll of $241,758, the first increase since 2008-09.

He noted the spending plan meets the requirements of the state’s tax levy cap and maintains all current levels of service in the village.

—(compiled by Barrett Seaman and Rick Pezzullo)

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