Oppenheimer voices concerns over Rockville Centre budget

When Village Comptroller Michael Schussheim presented the Rockville Centre Board of Trustees with his tentative budget, which includes a plan to raise taxes by 6.97 percent, Trustee Ed Oppenheimer made it clear that he did not believe that enough had been done to cut costs.

Though the board was not asked to vote on the nearly $41 million spending plan at its meeting on April 3, the public hearing allowed trustees and residents alike to voice their opinions on the plan.

“There are people that are all over this village that we know are hurting,” Oppenheimer said. “In this particular situation, I think we have to try harder, and I’m not happy with this budget the way it is now.”

He was quick to add that he did not blame Schussheim, but felt that the department managers should be questioned again about ways that the

budget could be further cut.

Oppenheimer’s comments sparked a heated debate among board trustees and Mayor Francis Murray. Other trustees said that Oppenheimer should have raised his concerns during the public briefing session on March 29.

Trustee Michael Sepe said that there is still time to work on the budget. “… [W]e’re not voting tonight,” Sepe said. “We are engaging in this process. I hope, I expect, I fully want to believe that the comments about the process are simply the result of a misperception.”

Deputy Mayor Nancy Howard and Trustee Kevin Glynn asked Oppenheimer whether he had any ideas about how further cuts could be made. He suggested that, in general, programs throughout the budget could raise their fees.

“There has to be a harder look than we’ve done,” he said. “If we have to cut $5,000 from this budget and $10,000 from that budget, you know, a little bit here and a little bit there might add up to a whole bunch.”

After members of the public had a chance to speak, Jack Matthews, chairman of the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee, presented the group’s opinion on the spending plan. Matthews said that the committee, a group of volunteer

residents, believes Schussheim’s tentative budget is appropriate because the services offered by the village are what attracts new residents and keeps them in Rockville Centre.

“It’s tough times,” Matthews said. “In the limited ability that we have to understand things, we’re recommending that you don’t make any changes to the budget.”

He went on to suggest that, to save money in the future, the village should look to reduce borrowing and move to a pay-as-you-go format.

The board has not determined when it will vote on the budget, though a budget must be adopted by May 1.