Brookhaven Town Board approves $280.9 million budget for 2016

The Brookhaven Town Board Thursday night unanimously approved a $280.9 million 2016 budget that increases spending by less than 1 percent without raising taxes for most homeowners.

Before the vote, the budget was amended to reflect about $800,000 in savings from retirement accounts and increases in mortgage tax revenues.

Town officials said required contributions to the state pension fund were less than expected because expected rate increases did not materialize.

"Our retirement funds came in a little less than anticipated," Supervisor Edward P. Romaine said.

The town also made about $100,000 more in mortgage tax revenues than expected, officials said.

In Brookhaven, changes to the property tax levy fell short of the 0.73 percent increase allowed this year under the state tax-cap law.

Taxes on the average property would be about $1,051.12 next year, $8 less than this year, town officials said when they rolled out the tentative budget in October. They said some homeowners would pay higher taxes next year due to increased tax rates caused by lowered property evaluations. Town officials have said spending would increase by 0.43 percent next year and all current town services will be funded.

Officials plan to increase the snow removal budget by more than 25 percent, from about $4 million this year to $5.2 million in 2016. Spending on environmental protection is expected to grow by 20 percent.

The budget projects a net increase of nine town employees -- to 879 from 870. Those new positions will be partly funded by more than $1 million in savings accrued this year by paying off loans to fund retirement pensions, town officials have said. Town staffing had been 1,069 as recently as 2008.

Among the new hires will be code enforcement officers, town attorneys, auditors, assessors, building inspectors and investigators to enforce quality-of-life issues, town officials have said.

Increases in town revenue such as landfill tipping and recycling fees are expected to increase revenue by about $3.6 million. But mortgage tax receipts, once a major source of income, are expected to drop by $600,000, to $10 million.

By Carl MacGowan

carl.macgowan@newsday.comCarlMacGowan

Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.