After unanimously approving a resolution to exceed the state-mandated tax cap of two percent, the Maybrook Village Board set a public hearing for April 8 on the 2004-5 budget.

The tentative budget carries a three percent tax increase for villagers in the Town of Montgomery. Villagers in the Town of Hamptonburgh will see a four percent increase. (Most of Maybrook is in the Town of Montgomery, but a small section at the south end of the village lies in the Town of Hamptonburgh.)

The budget public hearing will be held 7 p.m., Monday, April 8, at the Government Center. The meeting will also include the village’s annual reorganization meeting during which many appointments are made. Copies of the tentative budget are available at the Government Center. You can also download a copy from the village website: villageofmaybrook.com.

The total tentative general fund appropriation is $3,151,961, a three percent or about $25,000 increase over the current 2023-24 budget. The general fund appropriation does not include water, sewer or refuse appropriations. Those three funds, by state law, must pay for themselves with water, sewer and refuse district taxes levied separately from the general fund.

The proposed budget carries a tax rate of $18.05, three percent more that the current $17.51 (for Town of Montgomery property owners). For the owner of a home assessed at $200,000, Mayor Dennis Leahy pointed out, that means an increase of $108 for the new budget year. In the Town of Hamptonburgh, the tax rate would go from $10.53 to $10.95.

The proposed budget includes an average across-the-board salary increase of three percent for village employees.

The village board met with the department heads and wanted to stay between a three-four percent increase, which we were able to achieve,” Leahy said. “We, the village, make every effort to work within our budget lines while continuing to make improvements and maintaining the village’s infrastructure.”

Some municipalities will take some funding from their fund balances to help offset annual tax levies. New York State frowns on using fund balance money to help offset tax levies. A prior State Audit & Control report issued under previous Maybrook village administrations when fund balance monies were used to reduce taxes, noted a decrease in the fund balance as “an area of concern.” Maybrook has not taken any fund balance monies for six consecutive years, including for this proposed budget, Leahy said. The fund balance currently stands at $875,000.