Town Taxes:
Preliminary Budget Shows 9.3% Rise
by Harriet Kline
(October 16, 2003) Shortly after the Red Sox defeated the
Yankees in the sixth game of the American League pennant
race on
Wednesday,
October
15, the Mamaroneck Town Board began dealing with its own
nemesis – the 2004 Town Budget.
Town Administrator Steven Altieri presented the Town Board
with the tentative budget based primarily on departmental
budgets and recommendations made by the Town staff. This
budget will now undergo rigorous scrutiny by the Town
Board and
the public.
According to Mr. Altieri, the 7.3 % increase in expenses
(over the 2003 budget) is driven primarily by four factors:
state mandated pension contributions, health care, liability
insurance, and workers compensation costs. This would result
in a potential tax increase of 9.3%, if all current resident
services are to be continued. There was a mention of possible
cost cutting in sanitation service.
It
is typical
for Boards to end up with smaller budgets than first projected,
due to cost cutting or other means. However, the 9.3% estimate
for 2004 is signficantly higher
than last year's 6.2% projection in October.
(See: 2003
Budget Process) Last year, the Town was plagued with
similar increases in pension, benefits and insurance costs,
all items mostly outside of local control.
According to the Town web site the budget review process
includes the following scheduled events open to the public:
- Wednesday October 22 at 6 pm - Public Work Session at
Town Center
- Friday October 31 at 9 am – Public Work Session
at Weaver St. Fire House
- Wednesday November 12 at 6 pm – Public Work Session
at Town Center
- Wednesday December 3 at 8:15 pm - Public Hearing at
the Town Center
- Wednesday December 17 at 8:15 pm – Adoption of
the Budget at Town Center
Upcoming Public Hearings November 5 – legislation to give Town clear authority
to deal with outstanding property violations, including repeated
violators of the burglar alarm code
November 5 – proposal to extend the Boston Post Road
development moratorium for an additional 3 month i.e. till
March 31, 2004. According to Town Council Bill Maker, the
Board is very close to a final draft of the proposed ordinance.
November 5 – final review of proposed zoning ordinance
regarding alternate
Members of the Planning and Zoning Boards.
November 19 – proposed legislation regulating hours
for rock removal.
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