Town of Huntington Announces Proposed Budget for 2016

Huntington Town Supervisor Frank P. Petrone announced Thursday that the Town budget for 2016 will stay within the state’s tax cap.

The proposed budget is $188,663,991 and includes no new initiates. A few budget proposal highlights include:

• The budget projects a slight decrease in the Town workforce
• Overall spending is projected to decrease by 0.2 percent
• There would be a 1.3 percent increase in the overall property tax levy. The increase for the average Town homeowner is projected at $29.16.
• The Highway budget would increase by $1.9 million. (due to costs from last winter)
• A $15 million capital budget would add improvements to the Town’s infrastructure. For example: rehabilitation of plants and pump stations in the Dix Hills Water District and headworks improvements in the Huntington Sewer District. Funding is also included for road rehabilitation, drainage infrastructure and paving.
• There would be little to no increases in other major Town funds and spending would decrease in some special districts.
• There would be salary freezes for all elected officials and appointed and management personnel. The Town is also considering a Management Plan that would outline various benefits for appointed and management personnel and would also set parameters for items such as leave time and medical contributions.

“This 2016 budget preparation presented challenges and realities that will alter how the Town does business going forward, without important changes to the Tax Cap Act,” Petrone wrote in a statement. “While the Tax Cap Act seeks to stabilize the tax base, it also limits our ability to enhance or expand services to our residents. Voter endorsed referendums, such as our Open Space Bond Act, that further our open space acquisition and neighborhood enhancement and green energy programs, cannot be brought to the public for a vote, as the dollars raised through the bond act increase the overall tax levy, and are therefore included in the cap…I pledge to lobby our State officials to look carefully at this provision of the Tax Cap Act, and to urge the State to amend it to except out of the tax cap any initiatives put before the general public in a successful referendum vote.”

A public hearing on the proposal will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6.