Board Still Mulling Mount Kisco’s $20.7M Village Budget
There will be no service reductions in Mount Kisco’s proposed $20.77 million budget for 2014-15 despite its staying within the state-mandated property tax cap.
Village Manager James Palmer told trustees Apr. 7 that the general fund would include a tax rate increase of nearly 3 percent. The spending plan also includes a tax levy increase of 2.49 percent, a full 1 percent above the state’s threshold but due to a provision in the law the village adheres to the limit.
Taxes on the average home in the village assessed at $38,000 would rise by $104 for the next fiscal year, which begins June 1.
General fund spending is slated to increase $451,667, a hike of 2.2 percent over the current year.
Palmer told village trustees that although the state property tax cap for the coming fiscal year is 1.48 percent, the village is eligible to carry over $199,028 from the 2013-14 budget, the amount it was under the cap.
He noted that Mount Kisco residents this year pay 52 percent of their property tax bills to their school district, 33 percent to the village and 15 percent to Westchester County.
Despite the increases, there are some positive factors working in the village’s favor, Palmer said. Due to the strong performance of the state retirement fund, there will be no increase in its pension contributions in the upcoming year. There is also an expected increase in Mount Kisco’s non-property tax revenue next year of nearly $130,000 to an anticipated $6,262,000. The extra income is from sales and mortgage taxes and building permits, Palmer said.
However, the village is facing an increase of more than 20 percent in workers compensation premiums, he said.
Only one resident spoke during last week’s public hearing. Andrea Eisenberg thanked officials for increasing the library budget, but asked the trustees to spend more for programs and to open the library on Sundays. Palmer has proposed to increase the village’s contribution to the library’s operation by 4.4 percent, which would bring funding to $1.8 million.
Mayor Michael Cindrich told Eisenberg that he lobbied in support of the $8 million bond nearly a decade ago to pay for the construction of the new library. There were about $1 million in cost overruns, and he has worked with residents to schedule fundraisers to provide additional library funding so the extra construction costs would not be paid through property taxes.
“The village board, I think, is united in its support of the library,” Cindrich said.
He added that the board would continue to review the budget during upcoming work sessions.
“The budget does not reflect any cutbacks in service,” Cindrich said.
Officials would also look to reduce spending in various areas without laying off any village employees, he said.
The board voted unanimously to close the public hearing, but will accept written comments until Apr. 28, the tentative date to vote on the final budget.
