Budget increases supe’s spending plan by $104K

The Riverhead Town Board has added exactly $103,730 in spending to the 2013 town budget originally proposed by Supervisor Sean Walter, according to a resolution the board voted to approve.

The now-adopted budget adds back a personnel director that the supervisor had proposed to cut, but doesn’t add back a youth bureau director.

The additional spending in the final 2013 budget was taken from fund balance, and thus, will not change the ‘town wide” tax levy or tax rate numbers from the supervisor’s budget, which increased both numbers by 2.92 percent.

Spending increased from 2.6 percent to 2.8 percent over the 2012 budget with the added $103,730, which brought the final number to just over $53 million.

In a 3-2 vote, board members rejected a series of budget cuts and revenue increases that would have allowed the town to fund the youth bureau director position for half a year, beginning in July.

The so-called town wide budget refers to the three funds — general, highway, and street lighting — paid by all town residents. Overall, the town spends more than $89 million when water and sewer districts, ambulance, garbage collection and other special districts are included.

Along the way at Tuesday night’s meeting, Councilwoman Jodi Giglio became involved in heated discussions with both Anthony Coates, a political advisor to Mr. Walter who has announced his intentions to run for Town Board next year, and with Matt Hattorff, the president of the town employees union, over budget issues.

Check back at riverheadnewsreview.com for more detailed information on the final budget.

News-Review reporter Tim Gannon reported live from the the meeting.

Click below to see what transpired:

Riverhead Town Board agenda 11-20-2012