Across the Board

In previous blog posts, I have made numerous comments about the challenges we have been facing with the budget this year. After many Budget Workshops and much debate, the process is about at an end and we are about to vote to approve the actual budget for the year. It now appears that a budget with a potential tax increase of 13%+ has been cut down to a Municipal Tax increase of around 6.5% or so. There were many factors that led to this outcome, including a combination of reduced services, reduced subsidies to organizations, increased revenue from other sources, skyrocketing energy costs and reductions in perks. Some of the most notable examples were:

- Elimination of 4th of July fireworks (reduced services)

- 10% decrease in funding to Main Street, CCR, CRC and Youthnet (reduced subsidies to organizations)

- Funding of Village Planting Initiative Baskets & Summer Concerts by Eden Gourmet; Extraordinary Aid from the State (increased revenue from other sources)

- Elimination of $12,000 in Stipends to the OEM Deputies, Mandated Health Insurance Premium Contributions by Management personnel (reductions in perks - to be voted on July 28)

- All the while these cuts were being discussed, we faced a $150,000 increase in anticipated energy costs for the remainder of the year.

It was an uphill climb, but I think we did a fair job of scrutinizing the budget in painful detail and making cuts across the board in every department. There were cuts to Police (Crossing Guard outsourcing and/or contract renegotiation), Fire (Executive Officer position), Recreation (Fireworks, delayed pool opening), Public Works (closing recycling center 3 extra days per week)and Administration (OEM Stipends & Health care premium contributions).

Thank you to all the residents and employees that came out to present their opinions.
None of the decisions made were taken lightly and none of the decisions were easy as every single decision has an impact on the residents or employees of the Village. However, in the end, I think the process was fair, transparent and in the best interest of the taxpayers.

Hard to believe it is almost August and in a just a few more months we will have to start the process all over again for 2009!