Cortlandt Town Board members have decided to eliminate raises for elected officials that were included in the proposed 2009 town budget.
The board members announced the measure at Monday’s town board work session meeting.
The faltering economy is the primary reason for the decision, said Town Supervisor Linda Puglisi.

“This is the worst economy since The Great Depression,” Puglisi said. “It’s the right thing to do.”

Town board members earn $19,700 annually, while Puglisi’s yearly salary is $116,649, according to town Comptroller Glenn Cestaro.

The tentative budget reflected a three percent raise for the elected officials, Cestaro said.
The town will save about $400 in raises for each town board member and $3,200 for Puglisi, Cestaro said. The town clerk, tax receiver and town judges have also declined the proposed raises, Puglisi said.

“The economy in the nation is horrific,” Puglisi said. “It was announced that wholesale prices today (Tuesday) fell to 2.8 percent and unemployment is at 6.5 percent.”
The town’s proposed 2009 spending package totals $36.3 million.

High energy costs, decreased tax income and the recent national economic downturn are partially to blame for the 2.89 percent increase in Cortlandt’s proposed 2009 town budget, officials said.

The proposed budget reflects a tax rate of $205.06 per $1,000 of assessed valuation in unincorporated Cortlandt, up from this year’s rate of $199.34; $30.62 in Buchanan; and $23 in Croton.

The tentative spending package is the fifth town tax increase for Cortlandt in the past 16 years. The tax rate went up 2 percent in 2000; 2.5 percent in 2004; 2 percent in 2007 and 1.7 percent in 2008. The town tax rate decreased 4 percent in 1999.

The 2009 budget includes a debt load of about $13 million.
The town anticipates lower revenue next year from the mortgage tax paid when a property is bought or refinanced because of the slumping housing market.

Town officials initiated a hiring freeze in January after anticipating an economic downturn this year.

Officials held off on spending money this year on new vehicles for municipal departments. In addition, the town cut back on all overtime and Puglisi oversaw all spending requests over $100.

Although the town cut back on its capital improvement projects in the 2009 proposed budget, a new youth center is still planned to be built next year. Half of the project will be financed with cash and the other half will be bonded.

The board will hold a public hearing on the spending package Dec. 1.