Village of Rockville Centre adopts 2010-11 budget

On April 26, the Rockville Centre Village Board accepted the proposed 2010-11 budget, solidifying a 7.95 percent tax rate increase, bringing the average tax bill for a home in the village to $2,935 in the upcoming fiscal year.

The budget features cuts made to many departments by the board last week, including cutting seasonal and part-time workers from departments. The board also decided to raise the fee on parking meters from $.50 to $.60 an hour, as well as to charge $4 a day to park in the St. Agnes parking lot—a fee which is scheduled to be imposed on July 1.

The Village Board voted 4-1 to adopt the budget. Trustee Kevin Glynn, keeping a promise he made during his campaign to vote against any budget with an increase greater than the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was the sole vote against the spending plan.

The CPI is a measurement of how much consumers pay for goods and services. As of March, it was up 2.3 percent from the same time a year go, but still not on the level with what the village’s proposed budget increase was.

“I don’t want my vote on this budget to be a criticism of my fellow board members,” Glynn said. He also held up another campaign promise he made: because the budget with an increase greater than the CPI was passed, Glynn asked to have his salary as a trustee—$11,500—stricken from the budget. The village is still looking into exactly how to do that.

The board members said that, while public input was low—Trustee David Krasula said he was disappointed with what little feedback the board received from the public—board members had talked to people when they had the chance. They said that residents, while they would like to see the tax rate go down, understand why it has to increase.

“In a municipality like this, the only sure source of revenue is real estate taxes,” said Trustee Edward Oppenheimer, talking about the village’s decreased revenues. “Although it’s an increase, it’s going to help preserve Rockville Centre with minimal cost.”

Krasula also pointed out how open the budget process has been, with three public budget meetings taking place—something that’s never happened in village history, he said.

“This process, I believe, was as open, as transparent, as any budget I’ve seen,” Krasula said. “I hope next year is better. But we have no assurance it will be.”

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