For Immediate Release                                        

October 4, 2011                                                       

 

 

TOWN OF CLARKSTOWN TAX INCREASE 0.8% FOR 2012

Taxes Fall Below Governor's mandated 2% tax cap

 

(New City, New York) – Clarkstown Town Supervisor Alexander J. Gromack and the Town Board presented the preliminary 2012 town budget with a 0.8% tax increase.  The Town’s total budget is $130,280,172.  This is the third year the Town’s tax rate has been below 2% with a 0% increase in 2011 and 1.6% in 2010.  

 

“We are pleased that after much scrutiny and review, the Town of Clarkstown's tax rate will increase only 0.8% in 2012” said Supervisor Gromack.

 

This year’s budget fell below the Governor's mandated 2% tax cap despite the many challenges and increasing costs the Town is facing. For example, at its highest in 2003, the Town received $7 million in mortgage tax revenue but is only projecting $2.8million in 2012.  Meanwhile, costs continue to climb.  Pension costs for both CSEA employees and police totaled $10million in 2011, but increased an extra $1.9million in 2012.  Similarly, this year the Town will see an increase in health care costs of over $1.5million from $11.2million in 2011 to $12.7million in 2012.  In addition, the Town will pay almost $200,000 in MTA tax to the State of New York.

 

“While unfunded mandates and other external costs increase for the Town, we continue looking for cost savings by reducing the size of our workforce and government in general,” said Gromack. “This Town Board and I are committed to reaching further and looking deeper to find ways to save our residents money.”

 

The Town reduced its full time workforce by 72 employees since the Supervisor took office in 2005, including reducing the size of the Clarkstown Police Department from 173 officers to 163.

 

“We continue to make smart, fiscally responsible decisions that reduce the cost of governing without reducing services,” said Supervisor Gromack.  “While we look to downsize and consolidate government, we are not short changing residents.   All the essential services are still being provided from recreation to leaf pick up to snow removal.”

 

The Town’s fiscal management has earned it a AAA rating from Standard and Poor’s.  The Town of Clarkstown was named CNN/Money Magazine’s Top 100 Places to Live in America and is consistently named one of the Top 10 Safest Communities in the nation by CQ Press.

 

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