Serving The Willistons, Albertson, Herricks, Mineola, and Searingtown
Guide to Home Design, Lawn Garden
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Friday, April 8, 2016
Vol. 65, No. 15
HOME, DESIGN, LAWN & GARDEN
Mineola, Herricks hit high notes
COMMOM CORE OPT-OUTS RISE
PAGEs 35-46
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8, 2016 section • april tions adverti sing litmor publica a blank slate media/
W.P. to once again pierce state tax cap
in the greenhouse
Village cites need for 4th year in a row, proposes 2% increase By N o a h M a n s k a r If approved, the Village of Williston Park’s tentative 2016-2017 budget would pierce the state-mandated tax levy cap for the fourth straight year. While the proposed $96,085 tax levy increase nominally meets the state law’s 2-percent increase limit, it’s more than 10 times the 0.12-percent, or roughly $9,300, increase the village is allowed this year. “That covers very little — one snowstorm,” Mayor Paul Ehrbar said. The Village Board on Monday approved a local law giving itself the authority to override the tax levy cap, now in its fifth year. The $6,035,365 budget reflects a 2.64-percent increase over last year’s adopted budget and allows the village to maintain its current staff, services and equipment needs, Ehrbar said. The tax levy, about 81 percent of the village’s revenue, is set to rise
to $4,889,778 from $4,793,693. A net $65,857 hike in employee benefit costs accounts for about 42.5 percent of the $155,085 budget increase. Health insurance and workers’ compensation costs are set to rise $56,000 and $13,784 respectively, while contributions to the state pension fund will decrease $3,927. Higher salaries drive increases in other budget categories including village government support at 1.39 percent, public safety at 2.93 percent, transportation at 2.05 percent and home and community services at 1.04 percent, driven by a $10,760 rise in sanitation costs. The budget projects debt payments will fall 0.88 percent. All other expense categories would stay flat. The tentative budget reflects the costs of running the village increasing at a higher rate than the tax levy cap allows without any extra help from the state, Ehrbar said. Continued on Page 62
Photo courtesy of the Mineola Union Free School District
Since last spring, students at Mineola Middle School have been creating a sustainable greenhouse with many different plants, herbs and vegetables. The greenhouse serves science and art classes. Mr. Zorn’s class is pictured assisting in the first planting of the new season.
Albertson firefighters say N. Hills ‘deceptive’ in talks By N o a h Manskar
the head of the fire company said. The company and North The Village of North Hills’ Hills negotiated a “modest” apparent reluctance to pay the 2-percent hike in its fire service Albertson Fire Company more fees last year to be “sensitive” to for its service led to their split, the village’s constraints under
the state tax levy cap, Alberston Fire Company board Chairman Richard Ockovic said in a letter to Blank Slate Media. But the village’s budget ultimately pierced the tax cap after Continued on Page 62
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