In a 5-1 vote, the City of Glen Cove approved a $65.4 million budget for 2025 at Tuesday’s board meeting that raises property taxes by nearly 2% – the first increases in three years.
Glen Cove Mayor Pam Panzenbeck said the tax increase was the result of increased costs like state-mandated pension contributions and healthcare premiums and the absence of a RXR Garvies Point Ferry PILOT payment.
The city has not received the anticipated payment in 2024 and does not expect to receive it in 2025., Panzenback said. “The payments accumulate to almost $2 million. The last payment received under their schedule was in 2023, she said.
We are going to get that someday, but I don’t believe it’s going to be any day soon,” Panzenbeck said of the RXR payment at a previous meeting.
Panzenbeck said $1.6 million of the $2 million increase in the budget will come from the city’s general fund.
Council Member Marsha Silverman cast the lone dissenting vote, saying she believed the revenue and expense numbers did not appear realistic.
Panzenbeck abstained from the vote, saying as the mayor, she does not vote on budgets. But she defended the tax increase.
“As much as we do not want to raise taxes, at some point, we have to,” Panzenbeck said.
The new tax rate is an approximately $55 increase on a $575,000 home and $65 increase on a $1,000,000 home, Panzenbeck said. Commercial properties will see a decrease of -0.61%.
Several council members said the city’s projected revenue did not seem realistic.
“Several of the revenues seem a little bit optimistic on the good side, and several of the expenditures seem overly optimistic on the lower side,” said Silverman, who cast the lone dissenting vote.
“I hope everything comes in, in this optimistic view. But I, as a finance person, cannot operate on hope,” Silverman said.
Silverman said without the ferry PILOT payments from RXR, the city had to find alternate sources of revenue.
She said there are “newer revenue streams that are really alternate forms of taxes.” This includes the upcoming surcharge, she said.
Silverman said this is “on the backs of the taxpayers.”
“Hopefully, we do make that money back that we’re projecting,” said Council Member John Zozzaro.
“It seems hard to meet these numbers, but that being said, I’ve been assured they’re going to do their best to do it,” said Council Member Danielle Fugazy-Scagliola.
“And we’re going to do our best to make up the money that we have lost through our PILOT program with RXR,” she said.
Pazenbeck said the city will “continue to look for additional revenue streams.”
The council also approved of a new appointment and eight salary adjustments for city employees.
Rocco Graziosi was promoted to senior project manager in the city Department of Public Works.
Current city employee Jimmy Ayres spoke at the podium regarding these changes. He said the same people continue to get promotions and raises while others do not.
“In the short time that Rocco’s been here, he’s gotten more steps and grades than anybody down here,” said Ayres. “Is it because he’s neighbors with you in the office?”
“I fought with you over this a million times, but it continues,” Ayres said to Panzenbeck. “What’s special about Rocco, that he gets everything?”
Panzenbeck said Graziosi had the proper qualifications for the position.
“I’m not going to discuss personnel with you,” Panzenbeck said. “But he took a test, we posted the position, he applied for it and he got it.”
Panzenbeck said they would not discuss the matter in “a public forum.”
“Rocco’s Jesus Christ of the city now. It’s ridiculous,” Ayres said.
The council proposed eight salary adjustments in addition to the new position appointment.
“Now all of a sudden there’s miraculously money for these same chosen people that have already gotten,” Ayres said. “All these people keep getting.”
He said certain employees have an “open checkbook” and are approved for overtime and equipment.
Panzenbeck said employees receive reviews from their supervisors, which is how salary increases are chosen.
After the meeting, Ayres was overheard in a heated debate with Council Member Kevin Maccarone.
