{"id":2065020,"date":"2023-10-12T15:00:03","date_gmt":"2023-10-12T19:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wallkill-supervisor-serrano-proposes-31-million-preliminary-town-budget\/"},"modified":"2023-10-12T15:04:42","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T19:04:42","slug":"wallkill-supervisor-serrano-proposes-31-million-preliminary-town-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wallkill-supervisor-serrano-proposes-31-million-preliminary-town-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"Supervisor Serrano suggests $31M preliminary budget for Wallkill."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwallkill-supervisor-serrano-proposes-31-million-preliminary-town-budget%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2065020&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Town of Wallkill Supervisor Presents $31 Million \u200dPreliminary Budget<\/h2>\n<p>Town of Wallkill Supervisor George Serrano recently unveiled a preliminary budget of $31 million during the first budget workshop on Oct. 10.\u2063 This budget includes a $22 million general fund and a $9 million highway fund, with\u200d property tax levies of $6.4 million and $7 million,\u200b respectively.<\/p>\n<p>Compared to\u200b the previous budget, the property tax levy has only \u200cincreased by about 1 percent, which is below the tax cap \u2064set by state \u2062law.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>Related Stories<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/flood-mitigation-work-enhances-agricultural-vitality-in-orange-county-5495374?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><strong>Flood \u2064Mitigation Work Enhances Agricultural Vitality in Orange County<\/strong><\/a>  &#8211; 9\/20\/2023<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/wallkill-forum-highlights-co-responder-approach-to-mental-health-calls-5506264?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><strong>Wallkill Forum Highlights Co-Responder Approach to Mental Health Calls<\/strong><\/a>  \u200b-\u2062 10\/9\/2023<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The general fund, which serves as the main operating fund for the\u2062 town, relies heavily on\u200b property taxes as the largest revenue \u2064source. It is followed \u2062by $5.7 million in sales tax and $1.5 million in hotel tax.<\/p>\n<p>Serrano has increased \u200bthe hotel tax revenue by approximately $200,000 due to the upcoming opening of a new hotel next summer. Building permits \u200dalso contribute significantly to revenue, \u2062with $1 million \u2062generated, a $100,000 increase from the previous\u200d budget.<\/p>\n<p>However, mortgage tax revenue is \u2064proposed at $900,000, $100,000 lower than the previous budget, due to uncertainties in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/2021-cant-be-any-worse-can-it\/\" title=\"2021 Can't Be Any Worse, Can It?!\">real estate market<\/a> for the coming year.<\/p>\n<p>Serrano \u2062emphasized that the preliminary budget was carefully considered and believes it to be a sound budget. He is open\u2062 to changes suggested by the town board.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"aligncenter\"><figcaption>Town of Wallkill Supervisor George Serrano at a community event in Circleville, N.Y., on May \u206320, 2023. (Cara Ding\/The Epoch Times)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>In terms of expenses, Serrano has allocated an additional\u2064 $250,000 to the\u200b paving account, bringing it to $1.25 million. He believes this investment is crucial \u200dfor maintaining the town&#8217;s infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, $5,000 \u2064has been\u200c set aside for the junior police academy, and\u2064 two new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/los-angeles-school-district-cuts-one-third-of-school-officers-police-chief-warns-of-unintended-consequences\/\" title=\"Los Angeles School District Cuts One-Third Of School Officers, Police Chief Warns Of \u2018Unintended Consequences\u2019\">police officer positions<\/a> have been added. \u200bSerrano stated that public safety is a top priority and allocating \u2062taxpayer money towards it is essential.<\/p>\n<p>The \u200bproposal\u200d also includes \u200dthe \u200baddition of two new clerks for the police and building departments.<\/p>\n<p>All elected and appointed town positions will receive a 3 percent raise, while salaries and benefits\u200b for union workers will be determined after contract negotiations.<\/p>\n<p>The \u2062preliminary budget\u200d sheets can be viewed on the town website under \u200cthe \u200cfinance tab for public review.<\/p>\n<p>During\u2064 the workshop, Councilman Neil Meyer requested additional financial information \u200bfrom Serrano to evaluate the proposed 2024 budget. This includes the \u200dcurrent year&#8217;s budget projections, current \u2064working capital, and salary sheet information.<\/p>\n<p>Serrano explained that the delay in providing accurate historical comparisons was due to staffing issues in \u200dthe accounting department. However, ongoing duty separation and new hires, such as a \u2062new account clerk, are expected to resolve this \u2064problem.<\/p>\n<p>Another budget workshop is\u200c scheduled for\u2063 Oct. 12,\u200c with Serrano \u200bpresenting the budget \u2064at the monthly \u200btown board meeting on Oct. 26.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What is \u200cthe town&#8217;s approach to debt service in the preliminary budget and what\u2062 does it represent \u200din terms of fiscal \u200bresponsibility<\/h2>\n<p><span>  The housing market.\u2063<\/p>\n<p>The highway fund, on the other hand, relies \u2064heavily\u200c on state and federal aid, with property taxes serving as a secondary\u200d revenue\u2063 source. \u200dThe budget allocates $6 million\u200c for highway maintenance and repair, while the remaining $3 million \u2062will \u200bbe \u2064used for capital projects such as road\u200d improvements and equipment\u200c purchases.<\/p>\n<p>One notable aspect of\u200c the \u2064preliminary budget is the focus on public safety. Serrano has allocated $1.5\u200b million for \u200dthe Town of Wallkill Police Department, an increase of $200,000 from\u200c the previous budget. This increase will\u200c allow \u200bfor the hiring of\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-look-at-strategy-preparation-behind-inauguration-security\/\" title=\"A look at strategy, preparation behind inauguration security\">additional police officers<\/a> and the purchase of new equipment to enhance law enforcement capabilities.<\/p>\n<p>Another area of focus is infrastructure. The budget sets\u200b aside $2.5 million for infrastructure projects, including repairs and\u2062 upgrades to\u2062 roads, bridges, and \u200cpublic facilities. The town has\u2063 recognized\u200d the importance of investing in\u2063 infrastructure to ensure \u200cthe safety\u2064 and well-being of its residents.<\/p>\n<p>Education \u2062is also a priority\u2062 in the\u200d budget. The\u200b town has allocated $4.2 million \u2064for the Valley Central School District, which serves the \u200cTown\u2063 of Wallkill. This funding will support the \u200bdistrict&#8217;s ongoing efforts to provide quality education and resources to its students.<\/p>\n<p>In terms of debt\u2063 service, the\u2063 preliminary budget \u200cincludes $2.5 million for the repayment of outstanding bonds \u2062and long-term debt. This demonstrates the town&#8217;s commitment to\u200d fiscal responsibility and maintaining a sustainable financial position.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, Supervisor George Serrano&#8217;s $31 million preliminary budget reflects careful consideration of the town&#8217;s needs and priorities. By \u2062keeping the property tax levy below the tax cap, the town aims to alleviate\u2062 the burden on residents\u200c while still providing essential services\u2062 and investing in critical areas. The budget workshop serves as an opportunity for community members to\u2063 review and provide\u200b input on the proposed budget before it is finalized.<\/p>\n<p>With the presentation of the\u200b preliminary budget,\u200c the\u2062 Town of Wallkill takes an important\u200d step in the budgeting process. The budget reflects the town&#8217;s commitment to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-consumer-credit-card-debt-reaches-1-trillion-for-first-time\/\" title=\"US consumer credit card debt hits  trillion milestone.\">responsible financial management<\/a> and \u200bmeeting the needs of its residents. As\u200b the budget is finalized,\u2064 it \u200dis crucial for community members to stay \u2062informed and engaged to ensure that the final budget accurately reflects the\u200c priorities and aspirations of the Town of Wallkill.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Town of Wallkill Supervisor George Serrano unveiled a $31 million preliminary budget at the first budget workshop on Oct. 10. The budget includes a $22 million general fund and a $9 million highway fund, with property tax levies of $6.4 million and $7 million respectively. This represents a change from the previous budget.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":417,"featured_media":2065021,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2065020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2065020","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/417"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2065020"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2065020\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2065021"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2065020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2065020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2065020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}