Featured Story

Fire District budget hearing is ‘non-event’

JULIE LANE PHOTO Fire Commissioner Larry Lechmanski at an earlier meeting discussing the district’s proposed 2015 budget.
JULIE LANE PHOTO
Fire Commissioner Larry Lechmanski at an earlier meeting discussing the district’s proposed 2015 budget.

There were no surprises Tuesday night when Shelter Island Fire Commissioners gathered for a public hearing on their proposed $863,702 budget.No one showed for the hearing, according to commission treasurer and secretary Amber Williams. She characterized the session as a “non-event.”

That’s likely because taxpayers will see a decrease in their cost to support the Shelter Island Fire District in 2015, despite a proposed 2.93 percent increase in spending. The decrease is the result of  a wider tax base.

The budget stays within the state-imposed 2 percent tax cap and represents a $29,662 difference in what was allocated for the current year. Because the district spent less than the 2 percent in the current year, it was allowed to carry over the difference to 2015 keeping it within the cap, according to Ms. Williams

The amount to be raised from real estate taxes is $818,804 with the balance coming from interest and other income. To support the current year’s budget, the district had to raise $795,492 in real estate taxes.

An owner of property valued at $640,000 would pay $174.49 in 2015 as compared with $175.36 paid to support the 2014 budget. An owner of property valued at $1 million would pay $272.64 in 2015 as compared with the current $274 bill.

Small increases in spending are in the areas of equipment, insurance, repairs and maintenance and fuel oil. Some of the increases are offset by decreased spending, including a small savings in wages resulting from combining the treasurer’s and secretary’s jobs into a single job held by Ms. Williams. She has long been the district’s treasurer, but took over the secretary’s responsibilities last year upon the retirement of former secretary Jackie Tuttle.

Commissioners expect to adopt the budget at their regular October 27 meeting.

[email protected]