North Hempstead Town to consider budget

A brief, heated exchange erupted between North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman and a New Hyde Park resident during a public hearing last night about the town's proposed budgets.

The meeting was held to allow North Hempstead residents to weigh in on the town's $102,114,578 preliminary budget for 2011, along with special district budgets.

Among those at the meeting was resident Marietta Di Camillo, who pressed the town board on administrative fees charged to special districts. She suggested the town is overcharging, which Kaiman denied.

"There's nothing that we could do or say to change your mind," he said during public comments at the meeting.

Di Camillo shot back that she wants to drive rates down.

"I understand that you don't want to pay your taxes . . . I understand that you live to criticize us for everything you can," Kaiman said.

The rest of the hearing was calmer, with no questions posed to the majority of commissioners and representatives from special districts.

The general budget reflects a 1.95 percent increase in spending from this year while holding the line on taxes. Kaiman has said the new budget includes contractual cost-of-living increases and other labor costs. Town spokesman Collin Nash said yesterday the budget includes $1,075,000 in grants to the town, which does not impact the cost to taxpayers.

Barry Loeb of Port Washington also questioned council members about administrative fees the town charges special districts. He credited Kaiman's administration for reducing those fees slightly in recent years, but said they are still high.

The Port Washington Fire District was charged $5,000 in the late 1990s, Loeb said, and at one point the fee grew to $150,000. The fee for 2011 is $118,334, according to the budget. Kaiman said state law allows the town to factor in an "educated estimate" about how much to charge.

The overall spending plan reflects the quality of life in the town, said Loeb, co-president of the Eastern Crest Civic Association. "To Jon's credit, the municipal services provided by the town generally are good and have improved from the last administration."

Di Camillo's sister, Marianna Wohlgemuth, grilled representatives from the New Hyde Park Fire District about $118,000 for a secretary/clerk salary. Marie Cochran, a fire district secretary, said she earns $71,000 and that the budget line is for more than one position. Town councilman Thomas Dwyer said the line is confusing because it seems to include three positions.

Later in the evening, Kaiman laughed and joked with the New Hyde Park sisters as they discussed $15,000 the town pays the Clinton G. Martin Park District to lease land.

Council members are expected to vote on budgets Nov. 16.