The Greenburgh Town Board will hold a special meeting this Tuesday at 4 PMto vote on the proposed 2007 budget. In October I submitted a proposed budget to the Town Board for consideration.  The Board will be voting on 2 budgets: A town wide budget (A) and a budget for only unincorporated Greenburgh (B). If you combine the A budget and the B budget—the  total expenditures that I had recommended in October was $57,354,008 for B and $14,679,737 for A. The total --$72,033,245. Out a combined budget of more than $72 million dollars the Board plans to reduce expenditures by only $37,000.

In the B budget the Board will be reducing expenditures by $111,000. In the A budget the Board is proposing an increase in expenditures by $76,000.

The Board was able to reduce taxes by cutting into the fund balance in the B budget by about $750,000. Cutting into the fund balance is a policy matter – the question is this: should we use up our fund balance now and provide residents with a very slight tax cut. Or, would it be more prudent to have a 1% tax increase (as I originally proposed) this year and keep tax increases very low during the next few years –and avoid tax increase fluctuations? The county government had a few zero percent increases and then had a major double digit tax hike. I think people prefer stability and predictability.

I believe that the Town Board has made some positive changes to the original budget. I’m pleased that the Town Board will be expanding the community policing program to Mayfair/Knollwood and support the increase in police. I believe that the $20,000 additional funds for leaf collection is good public policy that will enable the town to pick up leaves faster. I am grateful that the Board is open minded regarding the SAT/summer BIZcamp. The Board members indicated that they will support the camp if the Community Center Advisory Board endorses the concept. I am also pleased that funding for the Tappan Zeebridge review ($30,000) will stay in the budget. I support the proposed comprehensive plan study – as recommended.

PAUL FEINER

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