Tentative budget includes 1.96% tax increase, salary increases and funding for sewage project

The annual budget for Northport Village is up for a virtual public hearing tomorrow, January 4 at 6pm. This year’s proposed budget is based on a 1.96% tax increase, which is just below the New York State mandated tax cap regulation.

The upcoming year’s fiscal spending plan includes several sources of revenue, including a 25% increase in mortgage tax revenue and a 15% increase in sales tax received from Suffolk County. The Village also has an appropriated fund balance of $225,000, which will help to offset additional tax increases.

The proposed tax increase is the result of several expenditures, including a general salary increase of 2.5% across the board for all Village administrative and blue-collar workers, according to a presentation made by Village treasurer Leonard Marchese during the December 7 board meeting. In addition, the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) provides for a 2.7% increase in salary for employees of the Village Police Department.

Other expenditures in the proposed budget include:

• An additional $25k to the fire department retirement fund

• Funding for the fire department equipment reserve account

• Funding for 24-hour paramedic services

• Funding for an additional code enforcement officer, primarily for the weekends

• Funding for additional Village vehicles in the police, highway and parks departments

• Funding for improvements to Village Hall, including bathroom and courtroom renovations, the installation of a secure separate court transaction counter, and an updated front entrance

• Funding for the Village-wide street and park lighting modernization project

• Funding to complete the Bluff Point Avenue sewer treatment hook-up project

On the list of appropriations (or dedicated assets) for 2022-23, which totals $22,549,655, the top five costs include:

• Sewer project: $4,982,710

• Employee benefits: $4,459,053

• Police department: $3,916,344

• Fire department: $2,477,805

• General government support: $2,457,504

The budgeted salaries for Village employees or departments are as follows:

• Mayor: $21,538

• Trustees (four): $43,076

• Treasury department

  • Treasurer: $64,063

  • Deputy treasurer: $73,800

  • Payroll clerk: $78,925

  • Stipend: $7,500

• Clerk’s office

  • Village clerk: $87,125

  • Deputy clerk: $63,960

  • Counter clerk: $45,729

  • Clerk: $53,300

• Engineers

  • Village administrator: $102,500

  • Assistant to Village administrator: $56,592

• Assistant to the mayor: $102,500

• Municipal court

  • Village court clerk: $52,268

  • Assistant court clerk: $45,450

  • Justice: $21,013

  • Acting justice: $2,563

• Police Department

  • Chief: $249,502

  • Lieutenant: $191,132

  • Sergeants (4): $175,959 each

  • Detective: $161,244

  • Police officers (10): $1,026,405 total

  • Crossing guard: $62,369

  • Public safety dispatchers (4): $332,344 total

• Automotive mechanic: $85,634

• Meter Personnel (1 FT, 1 PT): $72,075 total

• Fire Department

  • Senior firehouse attendant: $91,522

  • Firehouse attendant III: $85,509

  • Firehouse attendant II (3): $230,836 total

  • Temporary department houseman: $28,000

  • Paramedics: $234,375

• Code Enforcement

  • Code compliance (2): $49,268 total

  • Fire Marshal: $37,310

• Highway Department

  • General foreman: $109,522

  • Assistant foreman: $88,974

  • Auto mechanic: $85,974

  • Maintenance mechanic (3): $250,880 total

  • Heavy equipment operator: $78,216

  • Laborers (6): $386,644 total

• Parks Department

  • Senior groundskeeper: $84,960

  • Laborer: $85,216

  • Beach managers/attendant/lifeguard: $62,000 total

  • Dock master (4): $25,000 total

  • Pumpout boat operator (2): $15,000 total

• Sewage

  • Senior plant operator: $90,022

  • Plant operator (3): $242,923 total

• Boards

  • Zoning appeals: $1,500

  • Planning board: $1,500

  • Fire commissioners: $1,500

  • Architectural review: $1,500

The public hearing to consider the proposed budget will be held tomorrow, January 4 at 6pm via videoconferencing access only. The link to attend the meeting is here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rcuqgqTsuHNYkUFX2Evs2rJR1SKFyXzi4

You can find the entire tentative budget here: https://northportny.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2022-Tentative-Budget-20211222.pdf