Massapequa Park hears from 1 on proposed budget

Massapequa Park Village on Monday took public input during a hearing on its proposed $6.158 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins June 1.

The proposed budget is lower than that of the current fiscal year, which had set appropriations at $6.166 million.

“We try to run as lean a village as we can,” Mayor James Altadonna Jr. said Tuesday. He said layoffs from years ago and “managing our costs diligently” accounted for the reduction.

The board of trustees is expected to adopt the budget at its April 23 meeting.

The proposed budget also does not exceed the state-mandated property tax levy cap of 2 percent, he said, though village officials in January voted to grant themselves the authority to exceed the limit as a precaution.

It sets the expected real estate tax revenue at $3.85 million, up from the projected $3.75 million of the current fiscal year.

However, factors such as assessed property value changes and pension payments are considered in the calculation Albany uses for the tax cap, and the proposed levy according to that calculation is less than the state’s 2 percent limit, Altadonna said.

The proposed budget includes funds set aside for a code enforcement car and a truck for village use.

Massapequa Park resident John O’Brien — the only resident to speak at Monday’s public hearing — suggested the village consider purchasing used vehicles to save cash.