Valley Stream Herald

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Valley Stream

HERALD

l.I. Cares sets up distribution site

V.S. teachers’ union donates

Church gathers supplies, food

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Vol. 31 No. 17

APRIl 23 - 29, 2020

A show of support for LIJ workers By PeteR BelfIoRe pbelfiore@Liherald.com

Christina Daly/Herald

HoSPItAl woRkeRS At LIJ Valley Stream greeted well-wishers during an April 14 car parade to support their efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.

With hospitals across the metropolitan area inundated with Covid-19 patients, the state’s nurses and doctors have become front-line soldiers in the fight against the pandemic, doing all in their power to keep those worst afflicted by the virus alive. At LIJ Valley Stream, it’s been no different. That was why the New York State Nurses Association organized a car caravan rally outside the hospital on April 14 to show support for workers there.

“It was an honor to stand on the steps of LIJ Valley Stream and receive the applause and warm messages from our community leaders and the nurses association,” said Terry Pando, LIJ’s chief nursing officer. As the caravan of more than a dozen cars drove past, Pando, along with a crowd of her fellow nurses and hospital workers in protective gear, gathered outside, many recording the event on their cellphones. “We drove through to just tell them that we love them, and to thank them for being there for us,” said Nancy Joly, Continued on page 15

Village passes $41 million, status quo 2020-21 budget By PeteR BelfIoRe pbelfiore@liherald.com

On Monday night, the Valley Stream board of trustees passed a fiscal year 2020-21 budget of more than $41 million, excluding library expenses, during a hearing held by remote teleconference. The fiscal year begins June 1. The budget is largely status quo, maintaining services and programs as they have been in previous years. The village’s tax levy — the total amount it must collect in taxes to meet expense — increased 1.79 percent to roughly $31 million, and the average homeowner can expect a $42.35 village tax increase, according to Valley Stream Trea-

surer Mike Fox. The average homeowner currently pays roughly $2,500 without exemptions. The budget passed by a 4-1 vote, with Trustee Vincent Grasso voting against it due to concerns over budgetary uncertainties caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which has cut off, at least temporarily, revenue streams such as ticket payments. Additionally, the financial hardship created by the virus, he said, has also raised the possibility for missed property-tax payments. “In a time of crisis we should over prepare,” Grasso said, noting the unprecedented nature of the outbreak. Services such as the Hendrick-

w

e’ve been doing a very good job with our fiscal plan to reduce overall payroll.

MIke fox Treasurer

son Park pool and Barrett Park summer camp program will remain in place pending the lifting of state restrictions on public gatherings intended to combat the coronavirus, Fox said. Should the bans be lifted, he said, the services

would be ready to open by summer. The budget continues efforts to shore up village finances — with payroll reduced to 151 employees compared to the previous year’s 154, and $250,000 set aside for reserves — after Moody’s Investors Services downgraded its bond rating to Ba1 last February, citing years of structurally unbalanced

budgets and a dwindling reserve, placing it in the junk category. “We’ve been doing a very good job with our fiscal plan to reduce overall payroll,” Fox said. With village court closed, and the general economic devastation caused by the virus, however, Grasso said he worries the budget might not fully account for potenContinued on page 12


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