Politics & Government

Board Approves Mt. Kisco's 2013-14 Budget

Adopted Mount Kisco budget includes a tax rate increase of about 1.99 percent and a tax levy increase of around 1 percent.

On Monday night, Mount Kisco's Village Board of Trustees unanimously approved a municipal budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year.

The budget, which runs from June 1, 2013 to May 31, 2014, includes a tax rate increase of about 1.99 percent. The rate, which represents what people owe, is $92.75 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The rate hike is about $70 for the average household. Meanwhile, the tax levy, which is the total amount of property tax revenue to be collected, will go up by around 1 percent.

The tax levy stays under a state-imposed cap, which is the lesser of 2 percent or the inflation rate. The tax rate is not subject to a cap.

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The budget totals $29,747,612, with most of the money ($20,319,454) being for the general fund. The other funds are for the library, sewers, water and debt.

Before voting, trustees reflected on the budget process and thanked village staff for their help.

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“I think our decisions were prudent,” said Mayor Michael Cindrich.

Trustee Anthony Markus said he was proud of the "fiscal responsibility" that the village has had.

Trustee Jean Farber noted that the levy is under the cap, saying “i'm very happy about that.”

Deputy Mayor George Griffin said that “each and every year we strive wholeheartedly to minimize our tax increases.”

Trustee Karen Schleimer thanked the village's finance committee, an advisory group for fiscal issues.

"They are the most amazing group I've ever worked with.”

The budget also includes about $70,000 from a tax stabilization fund used to reign in tax growth. 

An initial budget version, which was presented last month to the village board, called for a tax rate hike of 3.52 percent, a tax levy hike of about 2.55 percent and appropriations of $29,855,255. The lower budget came about partly because the village is appropriating less money for three police officer positions. This is because a training academy will not start until later in the fiscal year, according to Cindrich, will an opportunity to hire until January 2014.

Board members mixed talk with village matters with criticism of politics at higher levels of government.

Cindrich criticized unfunded mandates from the state and cited road maintenance of state roadways as a problem. Markus hopes that the mandates can be chipped away at but he is not confident about it.


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