The Hyde Park Town Board held a workshop last week to hear public comment on the proposed 2008 town budget, but drew little feedback.
The revised budget was reduced just slightly from the tentative budget unveiled last month; the current spending plan reflects a tax rate of $4.09 per $1,000 assessed value; the tentative budget was estimated at $4.10. Under the current plan, a homeowner whose home is assessed at $200,000 will pay $818 in 2008 versus $798 in 2007, an increase of $20.
The meeting was sparsely attended by just a handful of residents; Hyde Park resident Kenneth Maher noted the lack of attendance and directed the issue to board members. “I don’t know what you’re doing wrong,” said Maher, to which Town Supervisor Pompey Delafield (D) replied, “It could be what we’re doing right.”
Maher addressed questions regarding several budget items, including computer software and variances in health insurance premiums among town employees. Delafield responded to Maher’s concerns regarding the budget, replying that the software is a program mandated by the state; health insurance premiums may fluctuate, said Delafield, depending on whether or not an employee chooses a family plan, single coverage or opts out of the health care program. “It is standard procedure and we don’t discriminate from one person to another,” said Delafield.
Most expense categories remain about the same from 2007. Under the 2008 budget, Highway Operations will expend 27 percent of the appropriations; Recreation will spend 6 percent; Zoning, Planning, Fire and Building will use 5 percent; Debt Service will expend 11 percent, Government Administration 15 percent, and other expenses will amount to 10 percent. Expenditures for the Police Department are expected to rise from 24 percent in 2007 to 26 percent of the total budget in 2008; according to Delafield, this rise is due to mandated salary and benefit increases for police personnel.
A meeting has been set for Nov. 19 to pass the 2008 budget; while it may be too late to change any budget decision, Town Board members are encouraging residents to offer any additional comments at that time as the meeting will be recorded. “I wish more people would come out and give us their ideas,” said Delafield.
Delafield noted that the budget is very similar to last year’s spending plan and doesn’t lend itself to controversy. “I don’t think people will get too upset about it – the increase is not too substantial,” he said.
While some have criticized Delafield for keeping a fund balance for unexpected expenses in order to reduce the tax rate, Delafield feels that having funds put aside for unexpected costs is important. “We just replaced two furnaces at the highway department and one police car using money from the fund balance,” said Delafield.
Having just been re-elected to another two year term, Delafield is looking forward to finishing some of the projects that began during his administration. “I’m excited about carrying through on things we’ve initiated, such as the visitor’s center and sewer,” he said.