Preliminary budget shows 11.3% tax increase

Rising inflation and increased expenses related to retirement funds, insurance and other areas the town cannot control were offered as two of the main reasons why Woodbury would need to raise the average home tax by 11.3%, exceeding the 2% property tax cap. During a presentation on the preliminary budget given at the November 7 town board meeting, residents were informed that this would amount to about a $206 per year increase, or about the cost of one pizza per month ($17).

The presentation also showed that revenues have stayed relatively flay over a 10-year period, with real property taxes and sales taxes down during this time.

Another area of concern for residents was the library budget. Maria Hunter, of Highland Mills, shared her view that the library is still going to have money left over even after their budget was reduced. Councilwoman Sandra Capriglione explained that the library is not a town department and functions almost like its own municipality; the town has no authority over what the library does with its money. She added that, unlike other departments, the library cannot request budget modifications and once the amount they are allotted is set, that is what they must work with. Capriglione shared that the board is working with the library to create a memorandum of understanding to be presented to the public.

Roadside litter

After the preliminary budget was approved by the board, public comment turned to the topic of garbage and how unlawful multi-resident homes were leading to increased trash along Route 32 and other roadways in the area. One resident expressed his frustration over raising the issue to both the village and the town and being told they couldn’t do anything about it. Woodbury Police Chief Kevin Watson said that both the building inspector and the police visited two of the properties on Route 32 that were referenced by the resident, and that the issues are being addressed; his department will continue to follow up on the matter.

Clara Rivera from the supervisor’s office added further insight into the garbage situation, explaining that unless a home goes through the proper channels to change its designation from a single-family home to one with an excessive number of bedrooms, it would be impossible for her to know if something inappropriate is transpiring.

Village IMA

During the meeting, Councilwoman Teresa Luongo addressed concerns about the Inter Municipal Agreement (IMA) between the town and the village of Woodbury. She commented on how, unlike what has been said, the timing of the discussion about the IMA was not due to the election, but because the agreement was set to expire this December. She noted that this issue has been in discussion since the beginning of the year.

“We want the services to continue and to run smoothly, so to say there’s an election and that had anything to do with it is absurd,” said Luongo.