Town of Hempstead community members face tax hikes in 2025 Budget: $5 increase for villages, $65 for unincorporated areas

Community members in the Town of Hempstead should expect to pay more on their taxes next year — $5 an extra year for incorporated village members or $65 extra annually for unincorporated members.

The Hempstead Town Board approved the preliminary 2025 budget on Oct. 1, adopting a $549 million spending plan that exceeds the state tax cap, raising it from 2 percent to 4.9 percent. Consequently, tax levies will increase from $346 million to $389 million.

Town Comptroller John Mastromarino stated at a budget hearing on Tuesday that the town has been able to postpone tax increases over the past few years by utilizing reserve funds. However, he announced that those funds are now running low, leading to a tax increase.

“The reserves were used, the taxpayers were protected, and it’s now at a point where we just can’t do it anymore because of increases that were mandated from the state, pensions, health insurance, we’re paying more to dispose of our garbage and all these things have piled up,” he added.