$108.3 Million Budget Passed in North Hempstead

The passed a 2012 budget, during a special board meeting Monday. The budget exceeds the state-mandated tax levy increase of 2 percent.

The $108.3 million budget will have a tax levy of 2.8 percent, a town spokesman said.

Though the initial projection was 1.9 percent, it increased due to the addition of hundreds of new residents to the Great Neck Garbage district, expanding the service area, a town spokesman said. In addition, bids from garbage carters came in higher than anticipated, North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman said.

What’s more, Kaiman said, “We’ve actually since had to deal with some additional issues from the county where we are covering the costs of subsidies for community colleges. They’re also included in the budget, and collectively this puts us over 2 percent.”

State law dictates that the town board must approve overriding the 2 percent tax cap, by a 60-percent vote. The board approved the measure 6-0.

Prior to the vote, the board held a public hearing on the tax levy limit, though no one from the community spoke. 

Missing from the meeting was Angelo Ferrara, R-New Hyde Park, who had made plans to be out of town prior the scheduling of the meeting. However, Kaiman said, Ferrara had indicated that had he been present, “he would vote no.”