Harrison Asks Trustees to Reduce Proposed Village Tax Increase

This letters was written by Bob Harrison:

To the Editor: The Village Board has been stuck on a 3.42 % proposed tax increase for our hurting
Scarsdale taxpayers during their budget workshops over a number of weeks. In the meantime the Scarsdale School Board has wisely proposed a school tax increase of only 1.93% which will be voted on by our residents in May.

Do you think our taxpaying residents would approve a 3.42 % tax increase if we could vote on the Village Budget during the current pandemic economy. The answer is a resounding NO. We have seen about 10% of our homeowners or 500 homes who have been unable to pay their village and school taxes on time and have incurred 10 % late fees on their taxes.

We feel strongly that any Village tax increase should NOT exceed 2%. To his credit only Trustee Jon Lewis has spoken out regularly in budget meetings to hold any Village tax increase to the 2 % area.

Now we have new information that the American Rescue bill just passed by Congress will have $ 1.96 million to help Scarsdale Village during Covid. In addition there was no accounting in the 3.42% tax increase for late fee tax payment income of $ 800,000 for school taxes and $180,000 for village taxes. Every $420,000 of income to the village can reduce the tax rate by 1 % so the Village Board could reduce the Village tax rate increase to 1.42 % or more for the coming fiscal year. The Village Board has further flexibility in reducing the Village tax rate increase with the use of the $ 1.96 million in FED funds and tying it with the use of our large
unassigned fund balance.

Now is the time for our tax paying residents to DEMAND that our Village Board reduce any Village tax increase to under 2 %!!!

Please send your DEMAND to the Mayor and Village Board at mayor@scarsdale.com and to the Village Clerk at dconkling@scarsdale.com with copies to Bob Harrison at proscars@aol.com. Call Bob Harrison at 914 725-0962 to discuss any comments on village taxes.

Bob Harrison
Chairman
Scarsdale Taxpayer Alert
65 Fox Meadow Road