Mild winter means savings for LI towns
A payloader empties excess salt from this year's mild winter in a shed for storage at the Nassau County Department of Public Works in Hicksville Saturday. (March 31, 2012) Credit: Barry Sloan
The unusually mild winter that just ended could reap a modest benefit for local taxpayers.
After a wintry mix of sand, salt and overtime blew holes in their 2011 budgets, Long Island highway crews have spent only a fraction of the funds set aside this year for plowing and de-icing roads. That will not result in significant tax cuts -- but municipal officials say those savings make spending increases less likely next year.
"The one person more pleased than me is my doctor, because my blood pressure isn't as high as it was last year," Brookhaven Highway Superintendent John Rouse said. Brookhaven has spent $800,000 so far this year -- less than 9 percent of the $9.2 million it had to spend in 2011.
"Taxpayers will see a reduction in their highway taxes next year, assuming the hypothetical that we have no more snow," he said.
Less than 4 inches of snow fell in January, and less than an inch in February. There was no snow in March.
Alas, local officials know better than to count on another snowless winter. Because budgets follow the calendar year, they caution that savings could still be wiped out by a storm like the blizzard that struck in the final week of 2010.
"We're lucky that conditions have been mild so far this year, but we can't forget that we still have to make it through November and December," Babylon Supervisor Richard Schaffer said. "It remains to be seen just how this will affect our budget for the year."
Babylon, like most Long Island communities, has spent less than a quarter of its snow funds. In most cases, year-end surpluses will be rolled over into 2013 budgets; in some cases, municipal boards can vote to shift surpluses to other needs, such as road repair.
For now, sand and salt sheds are full, and highway chiefs such as Smithtown's Glenn Jorgensen are relieved. As winters go, he said, "We had a great summer."
Here's a look at how local highway crews fared:
Nassau County
The county has spent 13.4 percent of its $781,000 budget for snow-related overtime.
Hempstead Town
The town has spent 12.3 percent of its $500,000 budget for snow-related wages, and 16 percent of a $2.5-million budget for supplies.
For all of 2011, the town spent $433,678 on snow-related overtime. This year? Zero.
The town has spent 19.4 percent of its $2 million budget.
The city has used barely 10 percent of its $240,000 snow budget.
From Thanksgiving 2010 to Feb. 1, 2011, the city spent about $200,000 on overtime. During the same period this winter, it spent about $80,000.
Suffolk County
After going nearly $1 million over budget last year, when the county spent $4.84 million on snow removal, Suffolk has so far paid $200,000 out of its $3.7-million snow budget, mostly for overtime and staff meals, public works Commissioner Gil Anderson said.
Babylon
About 23 percent of the town's $700,000 snow budget has been spent.
Brookhaven
The town has used 25 percent, or $800,000, of $3.2 million budgeted for snow.
Just over 26 percent of the $235,000 snow budget was spent.
Huntington
From a budget of $2.7 million, the town has spent $300,000, or 11.1 percent.
After spending almost all of its snow budget in 2011, the town raised spending this year but has used just 20 percent of the budgeted $1.65 million.
The town set aside $105,000 for storm-related overtime, but Supervisor Sean Walter said it's hard to tell how much of that was spent because many workers prefer to take comp time instead of overtime pay.
After spending double what it budgeted last year, Shelter Island has used less than 9 percent of its $54,000 snow budget this year.
Smithtown
The town has spent 14.4 percent, or $202,100, of its $1.4-million snow budget.
Southampton
It doesn't have a separate budget line for snow removal, but estimates that it has saved $450,000 compared with average snow removal spending the past two years.
The North Fork town has spent only 18 percent of its allotted $109,000 for nonovertime snow pay, and 15 percent of its $120,000 budget for snow-related overtime.
'I do think he saw the writing on the wall' Rex Heuermann's Attorney Michael Brown sat down with Newsday following his client's sentencing to discuss the case. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.
'I do think he saw the writing on the wall' Rex Heuermann's Attorney Michael Brown sat down with Newsday following his client's sentencing to discuss the case. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.
