Tuckahoe Residents May See 6 Percent Tax Hike

TUCKAHOE, N.Y. – Tuckahoe residents could see a 6.63 percent tax increase in village taxes if the tentative budget is passed in its current form. 

Mayor Steve Ecklond said the increase is likely be much closer to a 4 percent tax increase when the village board gets through with a six week examination of each line of the spending plan.

“This is the very beginning of the process, and I am sure we will make changes along the way,” Ecklond said. “We have no plans of exceeding the state mandated 2 percent tax cap.” 

The proposed $11.3 million spending plan is up by 2 percent from the $11 million village budget for last year. 

“This budget reflects the decrease of 2.15 percent in assessed property valuation for the village, a 2.58 percent increase in expenditures and a .71 percent decrease in revenues,” Ecklond said. “Significant expense cost drivers are once again increases in health insurance and retirement contributions, which all combined account for nearly 3 percent of the overall proposed tax increase.” 

While Ecklond anticipates some cuts will be necessary, he does not see those cuts in staff like a reduction in the number of police officers. 

“We have no plans for any additional reduction of staff,” Ecklond said. “We did an analysis and in the last few years we have already cut eight staff members.”

Eckond said that on the plus side, there is the addition of the Andrus Children’s Center to the village tax rolls, a significant number of new renters and large permit fees to add to the revenue base for the village.

He added that the next step in the budget process is a public hearing for residents to be held on April 9.

“The board and I are committed to continuing our work on the budget and will produce a final budget for adoption at a meeting on April 30, 2012 that will remain under the Governor’s 2 percent tax cap levy imposed by the state legislature,” Ecklond said.

 

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