Bellport trustees pass $4.49M budget

Bellport Village trustees passed a $4.49 million budget at Monday's board meeting, including a 2 percent tax increase some residents said wasn't high enough to stave off future fiscal problems.

Mayor Will Veitch and trustees Alison Neumann, Dorothy Terwilliger and Ken Budny voted for the budget; trustee Jim Vaughan voted against it.

Before the vote, Vaughan argued for a higher tax increase -- "to put money in the cookie jar for a rainy day," he said -- though Bellport did not take the necessary steps to give itself authority to exceed the state 2 percent tax cap this year.

The approved increase means about $40 more in taxes per household, Veitch said, and will allow the village to set aside $90,000 in reserves.

Veitch said the village payroll would decrease by about $140,000 through staff reductions and other measures.

Residents expressed concern about declining revenue from real estate taxes and the village golf course, with one suggesting a way to make the course more profitable.

"You've got the basis for a great resort there," John Smith said. "You've got a beach, you've got a marina. Put a hotel there."

This year, Bellport is expected to earn $1.57 million in property tax revenue, and $1.61 million from the golf course.

"We're going to have to ask for 5 percent more, 7 percent more," Veitch said of future tax hikes. "But I don't feel that this is the time."

After the meeting, Veitch said tax increases would be supported by residents worried about the future.

"I can't imagine that there will be blowback from the vast majority of residents," he said of the tax increase. "The concern for those attending was not putting enough money in reserves."