The North Hempstead Town Board unanimously voted to approve the $163.9M budget for next year during the Nov. 14 meeting Tuesday night.
The six members present at the meeting voted in favor of the budget, which provides a 10% property tax cut. Council Member Robert Troiano was not present at the meeting.
The board also approved an amendment submitted by Council Member Veronica Lurvey, which adds a public safety officer to the parks department. It was the second amendment submitted by Lurvey, the first of which was previously approved.
North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said she is proud of the work her administration has done and she is committed to putting taxpayers first and making town government more accountable to its residents.
“During my first term, I have delivered on a good government agenda that has provided taxpayer relief, enhanced quality of life and public safety, investments in infrastructure, newly instituted municipal reforms, and boosted government transparency measures,” DeSena said in a statement to Blank Slate Media. “Now that we have officially passed the 2024 budget, I am very proud that my administration has cut taxes for the second year in a row, delivering millions of dollars more in relief for the taxpayers of North Hempstead!”
This year’s budget was voted on after Election Day, breaking a pattern set by ex-Supervisor Judi Bosworth, who was elected in 2013. The original voting date of Nov. 2 had to be delayed due to allow adequate notice of corrections made to the public.
The most recent voting day on the night of Monday, Nov. 6 was adjourned after Democrats said they would not vote for a budget unless all members were present. Troiano, who works for the Nassau County Board of Elections, told town board members that he would not be able to attend any meetings on the Sunday or Monday before Election Day.
Tuesday night was the final meeting to adopt the budget ahead of the state’s mandatory deadline of Nov. 20.
The town budget includes a 10% property tax cut, maintains town services and programs and increases budgets for 13 of the town’s 18 departments.
Taxpayers who pay both general and town outside village fund taxes would save an average of $183.12 and those who pay only general fund taxes would save an average of $38.06, according to the supervisor’s office.
The general fund tax levy is $22,921,376, according to the tentative budget, compared to $25,468,196 in the 2023 adopted budget, representing a 10% decrease. The tax levy for the town outside village fund will also decrease by 10% from the current year.
Allocated in the spending plan is $91.9 million to the town’s general fund, $41.8 million to the town’s outside village fund, which covers services for residents who live outside incorporated villages, and $30.1 million for the 20 town-operated special districts, which create their own budgets.
The general fund tax levy is $22,921,376, according to the tentative budget, compared to $25,468,196 in the 2023 adopted budget, representing a 10% decrease. The tax levy for the town outside village fund will also decrease by 10% from the current year.
In addition to the amendment that added a public safety officer, Lurvey previously submitted amendments that included $4.25 million more for the town’s Highway Department, among other things. The amendment was approved before Election Day.
