Puglisi Delivers 2013 Cortlandt Budget with 2% Tax Hike
Citing 22 years of tax and spending control, Cortlandt Supervisor Linda Puglisi delivered a 2013 budget last week that includes a 2% tax increase for the majority of town residents.
The $36.98 million budget increases spending by 1.4%, falls under the 2% tax levy cap and includes no layoffs.
“From the beginning of my administration that began 22 years ago I pledged to our taxpayers that I would make it my priority to deliver town tax controls, tax relief and very low town tax increases every year,” Puglisi said. “Over the years, ours has been a voluntary and real tax cap in the Town of Cortlandt that has benefited all of our property owners both residential and business owners. At the same time we have tripled our town savings and every year produced a surplus.”
To balance the 2013 proposed budget, Puglisi and Town Comptroller Glenn Cestaro utilized $1.45 million from the town’s fund balance, leaving Cortlandt with more than $5.6 million that can be used for a rainy day. Those reserves have decreased by almost $3 million over the last two years.
“We have never had one year of a deficit and we’ve always had a balanced budget,” Puglisi said. “Once again each year generated a surplus that we used for tax control and relief and maintained and increased our savings account. These monies were also utilized for capital projects from a Town Hall renovation, new recreational areas, road improvements, water projects and for acquisition of land for open space purposes.”
Cortlandt has a double A bond rating with Moody’s and hasn’t had a tax increase higher than 2.8% during Puglisi’s administration. For 10 years, town taxes were flat, and in 1999 property owners actually saw a 4% decrease.
Town taxes are 11% of the annual tax bill. Nearly 70% are school taxes. Westchester County taxes are 15%.
“I have insisted over the 21 years of my administration to either have no town tax increase or as close to zero as possible by finding other ways to collect revenue,” Puglisi said. “To achieve this record we began early on to share services and consolidate in order to have a more efficient government. During this administration the town has gone through three recessions and three recoveries experienced at the national level and since 2008 we still face the challenges of a very difficult economy. Therefore, our approach once again has been to conserve, save and control our spending to benefit our taxpayers for the present and for the future and to address any emergencies that may arise.”
Possible salary increases for the majority of Cortlandt’s 167 employees remain unresolved. In 2011, employees were given a 1.5% raise after no increase in 2010. Contracts for this year and 2013 have not been finalized. Salaries for elected officials were frozen in 2009 and 2010. They also had a 1.5% raise in 2011.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
