Rockville Centre Budget hearing set for March 29

Mayor Mary Bossart informed residents at the village board meeting on March 15 that the “tentative budget” for the 2011-2012 fiscal year was to be discussed in depth at Village Hall on March 29 at 8:15 p.m. The budget hearing scheduled for that evening is open to the public.

Bossart said that the new tax rate increase for the proposed spending plan was less than 5 percent, but warned that village parking fees will most likely increase by approximately 15 percent. Recreational program fees, she added, will likely go up to the tune of 10 percent for the next fiscal year.

The mayor also predicted a 50-percent cut in outside contracts and programs for the Sandel Senior Center, coupled with a proposed increase in the cost of senior center memberships.

Harold Buck, president of the senior center, said that the proposed cuts would seriously impact the center’s staff. He said that many part-time positions would have to be eliminated and several outside classes would have to be dissolved as well.

“Hopefully we’ll survive,” said Buck, who added that representatives from the senior center will attend the budget workshop next week to voice their concerns. “The hope is that the cuts will be reduced.”

Bossart said that tackling the budget has been “difficult,” and the Citizens Advisory committee was still in the midst of finalizing its recommendations for the village plan.