$156.8 million North Hempstead budget has no layoffs, stays below tax cap, officials say

The North Hempstead Town supervisor has proposed a $156.8 million tentative budget for 2022, which is below the tax cap and has no layoffs, officials say.

The proposed budget includes $18.2 million in expenditures related to the town's Solid Waste Management Authority, which officials voted to terminate and consolidate costs into the town's general fund. The spending plan would allocate total of $88.5 million to the town’s general fund, $40.2 million to the town's outside village fund and $28.1 million for 20 town-operated special districts.

At a Sept. 30 board meeting, town officials voted 7-0 to approve the dissolution of the Solid Waste Management Authority and its incorporation into the town’s general fund.

"The consolidation is being done for efficiency and transparency purposes, and it is expected to result in cost savings for taxpayers," Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said in a statement on Wednesday. "The public will see no change in services."

Not including the consolidation, the tentative budget would be at $138.6 million, a $500,000 increase from the current spending plan. Under the proposal, the general fund tax levy will increase by 2.78%, while the outside village fund tax levy will go up by 2.3%.

Comptroller Tania Orenstein said at a virtual work session on Wednesday that North Hempstead’s tentative budget stays well below the tax cap and has no planned layoffs. She added that they are planning to use money from the town's general fund balance to cover costs associated with finances lost during the pandemic.

However, she said, year-end projections are looking hopeful for 2022.

"Overall in the budget, other revenues in the general fund are increasing by $ 2.9 million and mostly returning to 2020 budgeted levels," Orenstein said.

Bosworth, who is proposing her last budget as supervisor, said at the work session that the town is still looking for ways to trim the proposed spending plan.

"The 2022 tentative budget is extremely tight and our departments are being asked to find additional savings to make the most efficient budget possible," she said. "We’re still looking for more opportunities to bring down expenses and I expect the budget will change before being finalized."

The public can comment on the tentative budget at Thursday’s board meeting. A public hearing on the preliminary budget will be held on Oct. 21. Council members are scheduled to vote on the final spending plan on Oct. 28. The three meetings are all virtual and will start at 7 p.m.