Kings Point to hold public hearing on budget

After an outcry by residents over lack of notice, the Village of Kings Point has scheduled a second public hearing about next year’s budget, which calls for a 9.8 percent tax increase.

The meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. April 27 in Village Hall.

During the hearing, residents will have a chance to comment on the nearly $14.57-million budget.

“The board can change or they can leave it as is,” Village Clerk Louis DiDomenico said.

The board of trustees passed a proposed budget March 31 after a public hearing that no residents attended. Notice of the meeting was published in Newsday but not the two local weekly newspapers.

DiDomenico — past president of the New York State Association of City and Village Clerks — said one of the weeklies failed to publish a notice he had emailed and by the time he became aware, it was too late for the other’s deadline.

“The village was not looking to hide anything or a public hearing,” he said.

Marsha Rotman, president of the Kings Point Civic Association, has also called a meeting for residents to discuss the budget and lack of notice. That meeting, open to all residents, will be Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. at Village Hall.