Scarsdale Forum Committee Releases Statement, Recommendation On Proposed Village Budget

The Fiscal Affairs Scarsdale Committee released a report recommending that the village does not tap into reserves to come under the tax cap.

"The Committee recommends that the not adopt the proposal that is currently under consideration by the Board’s Finance Committee to apply an additional amount of up to $300,000 from the Village’s fund balance reserves to reduce the 2012-13 tax rate," the report states.

In March, the Village of Scarsdale filed for Fiscal Year 2012-2013. The $48,899,129 budget is a 4.1% increase over the 2011-2012 budget.

The Fiscal Affairs Committee is recommending "that the Village consider various measures to achieve cost savings as well as to increase certain fees" in order to reduce the tax rate.

In the report, the committee commends the village manager and staff for lowering department costs while maintaining village services and for allocating funds for repairs and stormwater management projects.

However, the committee is opposed to tapping into the village reserves for tax relief due to the fact that the "...Village has significant unmet capital needs, and the Committee therefore believes that these reserve amounts should be held for future application to capital expenditures as well as other unforeseen needs of the Village."

The next Scarsdale Village Board of Trustees meeting is schedule for Tuesday, April 10.