Huntington to get same budget it rejected

Huntington Town Supervisor Frank Petrone's proposed 2012 budget, under which taxes would rise slightly while the operating budget would decrease by $10 million, will go into effect -- by default.

The town board voted down Petrone's proposed budget 3-2 at its Wednesday meeting. But because that was the board's last chance to adopt a budget before a Nov. 20 state deadline, the proposed budget will go into effect next year anyway.

Council members Mark Mayoka, Susan Berland and Glenda Jackson cast opposing votes.

The $174 million budget is $10 million less than the 2011 budget. But taxes would increase by 1.1 percent because of storm-related Highway Fund cost increases.

The budget eliminates 10 vacant positions, raises employee payments toward health care costs, and cuts funding for several arts groups and nonprofits.

"I cannot support the cutting of our arts and not-for-profits," Jackson said before voting against the budget.

Berland proposed reallocating an additional $52,500 to the arts and nonprofits, mostly by taking money from a contingency fund set up pending the outcome of an employee grievance, as well as an additional $50,000 from the town's public art initiative, but her proposal wasn't supported.

Mayoka suggested making cuts across the board rather than taking money from reserves, but Petrone argued that some departments couldn't be cut.

"Should we cut public safety?" he asked.

Council member Mark Cuthbertson, who joined Petrone in voting for the budget, said: "It is an absolute travesty that this budget is going to be put into place by default."