Greenwood Lake Tax Hike to 8.7% from 6%
The budget required line item cuts and a tax increase after a mortgage tax short fall.
By Vera Miller
The Village of Greenwood Lake budget appeared on the Village website on Wednesday afternoon, April 24, and was voted on soon afterward. The amount of the tax hike that resulted, from 6% last year to 8.7%, was not available until a week later. The mortgage tax shortfall, leaving mortgage tax revenue at about half of what it was last year, according to accountant Shannon Modafferi, who works on the Village budget, required multiple line item cuts as well as a tax hike. She had spoken about the issue at a previous Village budget workshop on April 17.
“There were cuts across the board in every department,” said Katheleen Holder, Village of Greenwood Lake clerk.
Some attendees expressed concern that the budget was provided the afternoon of the budget public hearing with little time to review it before the budget vote.
“I sent the budget to the Village web person early that afternoon with directions that it should be posted before the meeting,” said Holder.
The budget was completed under the direction of newly appointed Mayor Tom Howley, former trustee, who was appointed on April 17 , after the sudden resignation of Mayor Matthew Buckley on April 16.
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