Petrone Releases 2015 Budget Proposal

Huntington Supervisor Frank P. Petrone presented a $188.9 million proposed 2015 operating budget Tuesday.

Petrone claims the proposed budget would maintain town services and stay under the state-mandated tax cap.

He also proposed a $12.965 million capital budget to be offset by $3 million in grant funding. The spending would focus on improvements to the town’s infrastructure and construction of two new parks, Sweet Hollow and Burr’s Lane. Both are on the sites of former farms purchased by the town in 2013, and would provide open space in underserved communities.

The proposal also lists as 2015 capital projects repairs to the LIRR South Parking Garage, interior renovations to the James Conte Community Center in Huntington Station and planning and design for spray parks in the Huntington Station and the Elwood communities.

In his budget message, the Supervisor cited stress factors such as continuing flat mortgage tax revenue; ever increasing costs of goods, supplies and utilities; collective bargaining agreement contractual increases; and increased medical and pension costs as factors that required difficult choices this year and make budget choices difficult going forward. Together, those factors contributed to an estimated slight tax increase of 2.9 percent, which is within the town’s state-mandated tax cap. The proposal freezes the salaries of elected officials.

Among the other priorities listed in the summary accompanying the budget is to replenish to pre-Super Storm Sandy levels various reserves and fund balances. The town tapped into them over the years to stabilize taxes during some of the worst economic times experienced by this Country. To help accomplish that goal, Petrone said he would work with fellow town board members on the development of an incentive program, to encourage employee retirements at year’s end.

A public hearing on the budget will be held at 6 p.m. on Oct. 21.