BUDGET HEARING 2025-2026
BUDGET HEARING 2025-2026
WAS HELD IN THE BOARD ROOM OF THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING
153 WEST MAIN STREET
BABYLON, NEW YORK
MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2025
PRESENT:
Mayor Mary E. Adams
Trustee Frank Seibert
Trustee Dominic Bencivenga
Trustee Sean Goodwin
Village Treasurer Andrew Reichel
Village Clerk Jean Marie Parker
Deputy Village Clerk Dawn Dahill
ABESENT:
Village Attorney Charles J. Casolaro, ESQ
The meeting opened at 7:04 PM.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Trustee Seibert[DD1] .
The Village Clerk read the legal notice:
PLEASE BE ADVISED the Board of Trustees of the Village of Babylon will hold a public hearing on Monday April 7, 2025 at 7:00 P.M. in the Municipal Building, 153 West Main Street, Babylon, New York, to take and hear comments relating to the tentative budget for the fiscal year 2025-2026. Immediately following the Budget Hearing, the Annual Organizational Meeting will be held.
A copy of the tentative budget will be available in the Office of the Village Clerk as of Friday, March 21, 2025 where it may be inspected by any interested party during the business hours of 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Monday through Friday.
The compensation proposed in said budget for the Mayor is $15,000 per year and $7,500 per year for each Trustee.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Jean Marie Parker
VILLAGE CLERK
DATED: March 20, 2025
Babylon, New York 11702
Mayor asked Treasurer Andrew Reichel to the podium to discuss budget.
Treasurer Andrew Reichel explained the budget preparation process culminating in the proposed budget presented to the Village Clerk on March 20th.
The proposed budget for 2025/26 is $14,575,628, which is an increase of $1,433,657 or 10.91% from 2024/2025. The proposed tax rate is 18.90 (current tax rate is 17.20). The 2025/2026 proposed budget does pierce the tax cap. The NYS Tax Cap calculation for the Village for the 2025/26 fiscal year would allow for a 1.8% increase in the tax rate.
The tax rate increase is 9.88% percent increase, $1.70 per 100 of assessed value.
For an assessed value of: the increase would be:
5,000 $ 85.00
10,000 $170.00
15,000 $255.00
In total, the budget increases approximately $1,434,000. The increases in the budget must mainly due to salary increases for our non-contractual and contractual staff, anticipated rise in insurance costs due to increases both in rates and claims hospital and medical benefits, debt payments and general increases in costs in general. To help offset this increase, the Village is looking to increase taxes and some of the permit fees. In the current year the Village started to charge for ambulance calls.
The Mayor and the Board thanked the Treasurer & Budget Committee for all their hard work in creating a budget. The Board all argued that everyone is feeling the “insurance crunch” in liability and medical insurances. The Board also recognizes the employees are in need of raises, to keep up with the rising costs of living. The Mayor comment that looking at other municipalities and all the numbers are going up and we offer more services. The Mayor thanked the Treasurer again for all his hard work, and looking out for the best interest of our residents, and being able to keep all the Village amenities without giving anything up with the proposed budget.
The meeting was opened to the public; the following person addressed the Board:
- · Michael Golub, 1 Stuart Avenue
On the motion of Trustee Seibert, seconded by Trustee Goodwin and unanimously carried, it was
RESOLVED to reserve decision.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:23 PM.