North Castle Approves $28.9M Budget With 2.2% Tax Hike
The North Castle Town Board approved a $28.9 million 2013 budget Wednesday night easily getting in under the 2 percent tax cap by trimming more than $400,000 in spending over the past two weeks.
Property owners will see their tax rates rise by 2.22 percent next year, less than half the 4.56 percent increase that was part of the preliminary budget released last month. For a homeowner whose house is valued at $909,000, North Castle’s median price, next year’s town tax increase will be $63.86.
Supervisor Howard Arden said the town was able to reduce budget-to-budget spending by just over $250,000 despite an additional $660,000 in higher employee health insurance and pension costs. In 2013, North Castle will pay $2,983,695 for health care, an 8 percent increase over the current year. The pension bill is slated to rise by $438,418, or 22.5 percent. The town will be paying $2,393,609 in pension costs next year.
Arden said he believes the tax increase is the lowest in the county.
“I think North Castle, fiscally, is in the best position of any town in Westchester,” he said.
Town Comptroller Faith Berland said officials reduced spending by $418,000 in a variety of areas in order to come in $271,000 under the cap ceiling. Revisions included $190,000 in staffing reductions, $50,000 that was placed in a capital budget line and department managers cutting 5 percent of their costs, accounting for another $39,000. There were also a variety of smaller cuts.
Despite being able to make those changes, the board’s vote wasn’t unanimous. For the second consecutive budget, Councilwoman Diane DiDonato-Roth refused to support any tax increase. She said too many taxpayers continue to struggle.
“I really felt zero needed to be done because it sends a message that needed to be sent,” she said.
However, the remaining board members maintained that they did everything they could to limit taxes while also planning for the future.
“Although it’s not zero, it’s a responsible budget,” said Councilman Michael Schiliro.
Berland said next year’s budget pays for long-awaited projects. Those projects include the start of a long-term road maintenance program, funding toward a dog park in Armonk, roof repairs to town hall and the Hergenhan Recreation Center, a generator for the North Castle Community Center in North White Plains so it can be used as a shelter during power outages and an artificial turf surface at IBM Park.
Arden said the town board made sure to fund those important projects rather than borrow to artificially suppress the tax rate.
“Sure, the tax rate could have been better but this budget was created for the next five years, not the next election,” he said.
Prior to the board’s vote, several residents posed comments or questions. Windmill Farm resident Jan Bernstein questioned whether the town board had considered potential future costs if Brynwood Golf & Country Club’s proposed 88-unit luxury condominium and golf course redesign project is approved. She said since those units would not be taxed as single-family homes it could be an expensive proposition for the town.
Arden responded that the scoping document, which the board could voted on at its first 2013 meeting on Jan. 9, will address that issue.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
