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Hempstead budget hearing centers on claimed $5 million tax cut, special-district levies and animal shelter questions
Summary
Town Controller and residents debated the town's preliminary budget as amended for the fiscal year starting Jan. 1, 2026, touching on a $5 million reduction in the town levy, the independent status of 14 special districts, projected reserve use, parks spending and animal-shelter costs.
Town officials and residents spent the bulk of a continued public hearing on the Town of Hempstead's preliminary budget for the fiscal year beginning Jan. 1, 2026, discussing a townwide tax cut the supervisor proposed, the relationship between the town levy and separate special-district levies, proposed uses of reserves and several line-item concerns, including parks and the animal shelter.
Town Controller Nas Marino told the board that the town document covers 58 funds and includes 14 commissioner-operated special districts appended to the budget by state law. He said the townwide numbers published in some media outlets conflated the town's tax levy with levies imposed by independent special districts; he read figures for the town levy and said the board's proposal results in the town collecting $5 million less in 2026 than in 2025. Marino also said the town is projecting the use of reserves in 2026 at…
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