by John Nugent


The New Hyde Park Village Board voted to adopt its proposed budget of $7.4 million for fiscal year 2022-23 at its meeting last Thursday.

The new budget calls for additional appropriations of $747,433.44, an increase of 11% over the current year. An increase of $719,872.52 in the tax levy represents an additional 15.66% over the current year.

The village estimates that the average household will incur an additional $200.88 in its tax bill as a result of the budget increase.

Approximately $400,000 of the revenue raised from the added tax levy will be directed to the construction of a new community center that will replace Marcus Christ Hall according to information released by the village treasurer.

Mayor Christopher Devane said that the community center project will be funded by $400,000 from taxes, $200,000 from a grant promised by New York State Senator Anna Kaplan, and the balance from bonded debt.

Village resident Nicholas Giuliano questioned the timing of the tax increase in light of an expected downturn in the national economy projected by many economic forecasters.

Giuliano said he favors the plans set forth by the board but does not think “the urgency should be now.” He said that given what the federal government is doing now, he fears the possibility of an economic recession. “The consumer price index is the highest it has been in more than 40 years,” he said.

Devane noted the poor condition of various village facilities, in particular, Marcus Christ Hall and the DPW building.

Trustee Madhvi Nijar expressed concern that building repairs need to be addressed now before they become a liability.

“There is never a good time to raise taxes but we are in a situation in this village where we have facilities that are deteriorating before our eyes,” said the mayor.

Trustee Rainer Burger supported the mayor’s position, saying that “we need to get our facilities upgraded because they are going to fall apart more and more.”