After a series of public meetings and work sessions, the Town of North Hempstead (TONH) board unanimously voted to approve the 2022 budget during a special meeting held remotely on Oct. 28.
“This year’s budget continues the fiscally conservative practices of this administration while continuing to deliver essential services to our residents,” Supervisor Judi Bosworth said. “The $156.8 million budget stays within New York State’s tax cap. It includes $88.5 million for the general fund, $40.1 million for the Town Outside Village Fund (TOV) and $28 million in our town operated special districts. The general fund tax levy increased by 2.9 percent, which is an average of $9.20 per household. The Town Outside Village Fund increased by 2.3 percent, so homeowners in the unincorporated areas of the town will see an average increase of $19.21 per household.”
Bosworth, who is retiring from her role as supervisor, stated in a press release that she has “always put an emphasis on transparency, openness and integrity in government.” The Supervisor had previously explained during the Oct. 21 meeting that it was the town’s responsibility to be both “cautious and sensible,” in their approach to the 2022 budget, while also ensuring that they keep taxes low for their residents.
“As I’ve mentioned so often throughout this project, our fiscal operations have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and I applaud my administration’s ability to adapt under the current circumstances as we thoughtfully work to balance the need for budgetary reductions, while continuing to provide essential services for our residents,” Bosworth said in a previous meeting.
The town plans to continue to prioritize the exemplary services such as Project Independence, their state-of-the-art parks and facilities such as the Yes We Can Community Center to “ensure that residents have the best experience possible at town facilities.” The budget also focuses on the town’s roads and infrastructure.
Bosworth also highlighted the town’s continued AAA bond rating from Moody’s Investors Service.
“Moody’s Investors Service has now affirmed the town’s AAA bond rating on 11 consecutive occasions,” Bosworth said. “This rating is the highest rating a municipality can obtain. In its credit opinion, Moody’s acknowledged that the stable outlook reflects the town’s conservative fiscal management practices, which will support continued healthy operating performance and maintain a strong financial position. This year’s budget is a product of our administration’s planning efforts, and it takes into account analysis, suggestions and reactions by the public.”
Bosworth thanked the councilmembers and staff members for their “hard work and commitment to the town and its residents.”
The board then voted to adopt the annual budgets for the TONH General Fund, the Town Outside Village Fund, the special districts, as well as the annual assessment roll of the Port Washington Water Pollution Control District all for the fiscal year beginning Jan. 1, 2022.
The Town of North Hempstead will hold their next meeting on Nov. 18. For more information or to watch the meeting via livestream, visit northhempstead.gov/livestream.
