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The $68 million represents the "B Budget," which covers only unincorporated Greenburgh (outside the town's six villages) and puts the tax levy at about 2.3 percent. If approved, the tax rate for the town will be 3.1 percent. Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner said he would reject any proposals that would exceed the state-mandated 2 percent tax cap.
"I'm not going to support anything that goes over the tax cap," Feiner said. "If the board wants to restore or add services, then they'll need to cut something else."
The tax levy increase is also slightly higher than the levy increase from 2011 to 2012, when Greenburgh was able to cut its budget by more than $2 million. Feiner called the 2012 budget his "most painful" because the town had to cut positions and lay off a number of employees.
There are no new positions in the proposed 2013 budget. Feiner said the workforce will continue to be "gradually reduced" this year.
Among the budget's expenses include $3 million for library funds — a 4.5 percent increase from last year — and $5.6 million for highway funds — a 6.3 percent increase from 2012.
The town set aside $4.4 million for debt payments in 2013. In total, unincorporated Greenburgh currently has $48 million of debt.
Greenburgh also proposes an "A Budget," which covers the six villages in the town. The "A Budget" proposed for 2013 is $15.8 million, a 2 percent increase from last year. Town services in the villages include Meals on Wheels, tax assessment work, road fixtures and street signs and an ambulance program, Feiner said. Each village also has its own budget which are approved in the spring.
Feiner added that the town should expect corrections to the tentative budget because it was filed just before Hurricane Sandy hit. Neither the comptroller nor Feiner were able to spend the same amount of time they usually do looking over the budget for technical errors, he said.
One error was already pointed out at the Town Hall meeting Wednesday where the budget for town supervisor's office reported an $80,000 savings from 2012. Feiner's proposed salary will stay the same as last year at $127,618.
The Town Board will meet with department heads during the next two weeks to discuss the budget, Feiner said. The board has until mid-December to approve the final budget.
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