Amityville officials unveil $14.5M budget

Mayor Peter T. Imbert and Amityville trustees have unveiled a tentative $14.5 million budget that they said would maintain services such as police coverage and road upkeep while meeting increased pension and health care obligations for village employees.

The plan calls for a 4.82 percent increase on village property taxes that would raise the annual bill for the average household by $140, to $3,015. Village trustees voted in January to give themselves authority to exceed the 2 percent tax cap imposed by the state.

After residents packed village hall last year in response to a proposed 27.41 percent tax increase briefly floated by officials -- a 9.7 percent increase was eventually adopted -- the more modest numbers discussed at Monday night's public hearing drew fewer attendees and questions. Proposed cuts includes two clerical full-time positions, which will be replaced by part-time spots.

The budget for the next fiscal year must be finalized by May 1.

The biggest proposed spending increases are for employee benefits and public safety, which includes the 26-officer police department.

Benefits, which include pension costs for 98 full- and part-time village employees and a health plan covering 52 retired employees, are expected to cost $3.8 million, up from $3.3 million budgeted for this year.

Public safety spending remains by far the largest category of village spending, accounting for about a third of expenditures. Most Long Island villages contract with counties for police service; Amityville police salaries and benefits are tied to those of Suffolk County police.

Spending in that category would rise to $5.7 million from $5.5 million, driven by one-time payouts to two retiring police officers with accumulated sick and vacation days. Those payments will be partially offset because replacement officers will be hired at lower salaries, village treasurer Donna Barnett said.

Almost $3 million would be for police salaries, $275,000 for overtime and $335,000 for night differential pay.

Resident John Bott said police spending is "out of hand" and suggested they no longer be tied to county police.

Imbert said officers' base salaries, about $109,000, are similar to what teachers earn. "I don't think we should ever relinquish our police department," he said.

The proposed 2012-2012 budget can be found at www.amityville.com.