East Hampton Town Supervisor Unveils Tentative 2017 Budget

EAST HAMPTON, NY — East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell has unveiled his tentative 2017 budget — and taxpayers could see a 1.8 percent increase over last year's budget, he said.

The budget, Cantwell said, includes funding "to maintain and enhance the town’s commitment to public safety and to protecting the community’s quality of life."

Highlights of the budget include an acceleration of the replacement hiring of police officers and funding seasonal programs to keep beaches clean, with enhanced lifeguard protection, he said.

The tax levy will increase by 1.3 percent, in line with New York State's tax cap levy, he said.

The town's $75.1 million tentative budget reflects an increase of 1.84 percent, or $1,357,581 over the
2016 budget, Cantwell's budget message says.

The overall tax rate, the rate upon which individual properties are taxed depending on their assessed valuation, increases by 1.087 percent for those living outside a village and decreases by 3.945 percent for those living inside a village. The tax levy, the total amount of taxes collected by the town, increases by $679,797, or 1.28 percent across all major funds and special districts. This is within the 2017 New York State tax levy cap of $702,236, Cantwell's budget message said.

“The budget increase of 1.8 percent reflects increased salary and benefit costs for existing employees. At the same time, we are cutting expenses by closing the scavenger waste plant and dramatically cutting the town’s outstanding debt. These efforts have resulted in the town receiving its highest credit rating, Aa1, since 2003,” Cantwell said.

The budget was achieved "despite a substantial increase in costs for health insurance and

modest wage increases," Cantwell said.

In 2015, Cantwell said, the town closed its scavenger wastewater facility and it is currently restoring the property to meet New York State Department of Environmental Conservation standards.

The goal is for East Hampton to sell the "prime commercially zoned site in 2017. A portion of the revenue derived from the sale will be utilized to pay off the scavenger fund deficit and debt of approximately $815,000. As a result of closing the scavenger wastewater fund in 2017, the operating costs and resultant tax levy will be eliminated," Cantwell said in his budget message. "The sale of this property will generate a substantial residual fund balance that can be used, in lieu of borrowing, for capital improvements such as a new Senior Center or Town Hall projects. The cost savings and elimination of the associated tax levy will be recurring, as the operation will have been terminated."

The tentative 2017 budget has almost no increases in full-time staffing, with only one position included for a highway department worker.

"Although a number of new positions were requested at departmental meetings, the restrictive tax levy cap made any other new full-time positions untenable. Departments will be working under current full-time staffing levels," Cantwell wrote in his message.

Meanwhile, three part-time beach attendants will be hired to focus on garbage maintenance and disposal, bathroom cleanliness, and other duties at downtown Montauk, Ditch Plains and Amagansett beaches.

Pay raises in the two to three percent to range are included in the tentative budget, pursuant to collective bargaining agreements for CSEA and Police PBA members along with all other 315 full-time employees; the raises add $755,000 to the budget, Cantwell said.

Other highlights of the budget include, for the first time, a town contribution of $10,000 to the East Hampton Meals on Wheels program. Also new in the 2017 tentative budget is $4,500 for the i-Tri program.

The budget also allows for funding to East Hampton Day Care, Family Service League, Phoeneix House, Project Most, South Fork Community Health Initiative, East End Special Players, Montauk Youth Association, East End Disabilities Group, RSVP, the Retreat, and Pediatric Dental Fund.

Funding is also included to complete the townwide hamlet studies.

A total of $415,000 in various contingency lines is to provide budgeted money to close potential gaps in spending that may arise due to unforeseen circumstances, Cantwell wrote.

In conclusion, Cantwell said, the tentative 2017 budget achieves three goals: Funding all departments and activities at the same or higher level than in 2016; stabilizing tax rates; keeping the tax levy below the state-mandated cap.

"These goals were achieved by closely scrutinizing all expenditures and applying discipline to the budget process. Strong budgets include a thorough evaluation of spending needs and conservative estimates of non-tax revenues. This approach has served the town very well over the last several years, and we believe this will

continue to do so through the 2017 budget formulation process," Cantwell said.

Patch photo by Richard Lewin.