Yorktown Passes Preliminary Budget, Public Hearing Set for Dec. 7

Yorktown's preliminary budget remains under the state mandated 2-percent tax-levy-cap after board members made several changes to  and passed it with a 3-2 vote. 

A previous proposal to eliminate a receptionist's position was overturned and voted back into the budget by increasing the town board revenue line from the town court by $25,000 and taking $40,000 out of the town's fund balance. 

Siegel, who proposed to eliminate the position and appropriate the money from the employee's salary and benefits to other projects, said it was a position in the water department budget but the employee works at the Joint Water Works.

"There is no need for a receptionist in any department in Town Hall," she said. "Nobody knows where this woman is going to work. She is a very nice lady, but there is no need for a receptionist. I strongly opposed this and I think it's costing taxpayers an unnecessary $65,000 expense."

Councilmen Nick Bianco, Terrence Murphy and Jim Martorano disagreed.

"More importantly I feel comfortable that we're saving a job," Bianco said. "I am not in the business of laying people off. That's important for morale, that's important for the town. This is a person who has worked for the town for 19 years I am not going to just dissolve her away because the Joint Water Works has no need for a receptionist."

Siegel said the town laid off one position last year. This year's budget includes a reduction of four employees due to retirement and/or resignation.

Other changes to the budget include taking out $200,000 from the highway department's fund balance for a new truck. Town board members also agreed take out $25,000 from the fund balance for drainage projects. They also took out $25,000 from the town's certiorari line to create a new business tax incentive line, per Bianco's request. 

would offer a 25-percent credit to landlords who lease vacant space, under the condition that the savings are passed to the tenant. Siegel said she was opposed to take money out of the certiorari line because more property owners, who have challenged their assessments in court and won, are expected to collect money next year.

Councilmen Martorano and Murphy voted against the budget. 

"I think they were caught in the numbers too much and I feel we need to look at the safety of our town," Martorano said and added that he wanted to hire two or three police officers but there was no support on board for that. "My vote was symbolic. I wanted to express my dissatisfaction."

Murphy said he voted against the budget mainly because of the proposal to eliminate a position and that the $1 million garbage collection cost was not further addressed.

"I think Susan [Siegel] did a good job with regards to staying below the cap," he said. "Some things should have been addressed."

Siegel's plan the town's Environmental Conservation and Central Garage departments.

The public hearing is set for Wednesday, Dec. 7 at Town Hall.