Changes to Smithtown budget plan urged

Only three people spoke at a recent public hearing on the Town of Smithtown's proposed 2012 budget.

But two of the speakers -- the town's Republican highway superintendent and a Democratic town council candidate -- made for a political odd couple as they separately called on the town board to revise the $100.5-million spending plan.

If enacted unchanged, the budget would raise taxes an average 0.72 percent, below the state limit of 2 percent. By state law, the town must adopt a budget by Nov. 20.

At the hearing Thursday night, Highway Superintendent Glenn Jorgensen asked the town board to give him an extra $1 million to purchase concrete for sidewalks, even if that means his department has less for asphalt for road repairs.

"I ran into a problem last month where I went over budget in my concrete account," he told the board.

After the hearing, Jorgensen admitted to reporters that he went against town policy and used road-repair funds to fix sidewalks, then asked the town board to retroactively approve the fund transfer.

The board approved the request Tuesday, by a 4-1 vote. Supervisor Patrick Vecchio voted against the request, because, he said, Jorgensen transferred the funds without authorization.

But Vecchio, in a subsequent interview, said the board could give the highway department more funds for sidewalk repair in the 2012 budget. "You'll just have less asphalt money and more for sidewalks," he said.

Speaking after Jorgensen at the hearing, Democratic town council candidate Howard Knispel said the tentative 2012 budget projected a 2011 surplus of $35 million, which he said should be used for road repairs.

"Why is that money just sitting there?" said Knispel, who with fellow Democrat Teresa Haft is seeking to unseat Republican councilmen Robert Creighton and Edward Wehrheim. "It seems to me that's an awful lot of money for a rainy-day fund."

Vecchio said most of the surplus, or reserve fund, cannot be used by the highway department. "You can't use the funds interchangeably," he said. Creighton and Wehrheim did not comment.

Fewer than 10 people in the audience witnessed the exchange.

In an interview Friday, town Comptroller John Morris said the surplus, after subtracting for insurance and workers' compensation, is $22.3 million. He said Moody's Investor Service has said the reserve should be increased to maintain or improve the town's AA-1 bond rating.