Croton Budget Hikes Driven by Police Outlays

CROTON-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – The Croton Police Department accounts for 26.6 percent of the proposed increase in the Village of Croton budget. Nearly all of the department’s $230,100 increase for 2012-13 is in personnel expenses, says Chief Anthony Tramaglini.

The Croton Police Association is currently in the middle of its contract, which expires in the 2013-2014 fiscal year. In the upcoming budget year and in 2013-2014 the CPA will receive 4 percent raises.

The proposed 2012-2013 budget would increase taxes $16.02 to $253.21 per 1,000 of assessed valuation. Village Manager Abraham Zambrano said the average house in Croton is assessed at $12,000, which would make the average tax bill $3,038.52 under the proposed budget. 

The department has 21 full-time officers, and 22 police officer positions, leaving one vacancy.

“If the board is going to consider the additional police officer, we can adjust the overtime,” said Zambrano. The total proposed overtime budget is $312,000.

Zambrano said the village maintains a commitment to keeping two police cars on the road at all times.

The department also has an $80,000 capital budget for the 2012-2013 fiscal year: $30,000 for a new police car and $50,000 for new narrowband police radios mandated by the Federal Communication Commission.

“These cars are constantly running – [the cars have] to be running to power all the lights,” said Tramaglini.

According to the Croton Police Association contract with the Village of Croton, police officer pay ranges from $56,689.31 for officer fifth grade to $129,934.63 for a lieutenant.

The Police Department budget represents 17.3 percent of the village's proposed spending for 2012-2013.

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