Town Hall Updates
• Residents got their first look at the town's tentative budget for 2027 yesterday and it wasn't pretty. It calls for a 7.28% increase in taxes and that's after the town reduces the burden on taxpayers by taking $2.3 million out of its fund balance. As bad as that all sounds, the picture is likely to improve as Town Board members and the public scrutinize the numbers to figure out where more cuts can be made or revenues potentially increased. This is but the first volley in the annual budget process. The town's Director of Finance, Maria Angelico, will be available to answer questions at the 5pm work session on October 14th. A public hearing on the preliminary budget is scheduled for 6pm on October 21st.
At yesterday's pre-work session, Town Supervisor Alison Jolicoeur cited a host of reasons for the large tax increase: a 30% increase in the cost of health insurance, contractual increases in salaries, higher oil prices to heat the town's buildings, and required water testing for PFAS at Town Hall that costs between $15,000 and $20,000 a year. Excluding special district taxes, which are also going up, some of the biggest drivers of the the town's general tax burden are coming from the Highway Department and the town's contract for fire protection.
The Highway Department projects that it will need a 14.9% increase in property tax revenues to cover its budget because everything from diesel to asphalt to equipment and parts has gone up. Jolicoeur also noted during yesterday's pre-work session that the price of salt for our roads next year was increased by $40 a ton, up from $87 a ton this year. This year the Highway Department took $600,000 out of its fund balance to help reduce the burden on taxpayers. For next year, it's only proposing to withdraw $200,000, leaving it with just $864,611. According to Angelico, the auditors don't want to see any further reduction in that fund.
Meanwhile, the Fire Department estimates that it will need an additional $687,462 in tax revenue to support its operations. Last year it took $450,000 from its fund balance, but this year's tentative budget shows no similar reduction. Jolicoeur acknowledged the limits to relying on fund balances to address structural problems. "It's not a long-term solution," she said.
•A proposal to cut down more than 1,200 trees in the Town Park in order to address a variety of public safety and environmental issues has been put on hold for the moment, following concerns that were raised at the September Town Board meeting. Frank DiMarco, the Director of Parks and Recreation Department, who spearheaded the effort, wrote in an email that he will be revisiting everything with the consultant who produced the initial proposal and hopes to be able to offer a new plan by the spring. "The approach will be different. I just don’t have the specifics on how just yet," he wrote.
•. Voters interested in evaluating candidates who are running for town positions will have the opportunity to do that in person on Monday, October 19th at 7pm. The Lake Peekskill Civic Association will host its annual Meet The Candidates event that evening at its community center. The focus will be on the two candidates for Town Supervisor, Jolicoeur and William Gouldman and the two vying for the town's primary seat on the county legislature. The two candidates for Town Justice will read statements but will not be answering questions. The event will be recorded and shared later.
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