Mayor Keith M. Corbett
It is a great privilege to represent each and every resident of our beautiful Village. I would like to take this opportunity to provide a progress update on items the Village Board has been working on in the early part of this administration. The Board has been diligently working on the Village budget since election day. We spent a lot of time analyzing the municipal finances to ensure services are improved or remain the same, while costs are controlled in an efficient manner. After much due diligence, I am happy to report that there is a 0% tax increase.
It is important to note that the Village Board and I would not have pursued such a course of action if the Village was not in such an advantageous fiscal condition - with sufficient reserves to ensure that the continuity and quality of our Village services are maintained in a financially responsible manner. Although a 0% tax increase is not a long term solution, I am a firm believer that when desired financial results are achieved, it is necessary to provide the residents with the relief they so willingly deserve. You, the Village residents, have performed the hard work. While the course may have been set by prior administrations, it was your pockets, as well as the pockets of the Village Board, that achieved our financial success.
While it is important to provide the relief necessary at this time, it is important to understand that the future health of our Village can only be sustained with incremental tax increases in the years to come. In light of inflationary pressures, contractual obligations and interest rates, it will be necessary to continue to raise revenues to ensure our advantageous financial position remains the same for the sake of our children and grandchildren. It was a unanimous decision of this Village Board to provide a 0% tax increase for the benefit of all our residents.
The Village Board along with all major department heads have started the 5-year capital plan. Currently, all department heads are analyzing the past five years of Village expenses to provide data to assist with planning for the next 5 years of Village government. It is prudent to use past history as guidance for controlling costs and expenses of the Village government moving forward. We hope to have data sets available to assist with the next Village budget and should have a draft report ready by next summer. Although this is an aggressive goal, we will continue to work towards achieving the desired results in the first phase of the capital plan.
Please also note that a communications survey is being prepared and should be arriving at your homes by the end of May 2019. We want to open a dialogue to better understand your preferences for receiving important Village information. We are hopeful that, after processing and reviewing the surveys, we will be able to implement a cohesive communications plan for Village business. I urge each and every resident to please take the time to fill out the survey.
In closing, we live in an amazing Village with many talented and dedicated public servants and I encourage anyone interested in volunteering or assisting the Village, in any way, to reach out to Village Hall at 516.599.1200 and please feel free to ask to speak with me. The Board looks forward to continuing the great traditions of our past while moving the Village forward for the benefit of the next generation of Malverne residents.
Sincerely,
Keith M. Corbett, Mayor
