Budget Season!
Regular viewers of Village Board meetings know that budget season is my favorite time of year. It's an opportunity to quantifiably reflect on our accomplishments and goals.
Ossining's effective tax rate is among the highest in Westchester County. Reducing it has been a priority of my administration. For the past four years we have maintained a 0% tax rate increase. This year the tax rate will actually decrease. The two main factors allowing us to decrease the tax rate increase (1) an increase in the total assessed value of village properties, and (2) our healthy fund balance. In a year when so many people are experiencing a loss or decrease of income, we are especially pleased to have the opportunity to lower the property tax rate for our residents.
Paving our roadways is one of the most visible and appreciated initiatives every year. I recently met up with Assemblywoman Sandy Galef and Village Engineer Paul Fraioli at the corner of Broad Avenue and Spring Street to discuss the most substantial paving project of 2020. Funding for paving projects is frequently a combination of state and local funding. This particular project attracted substantial state assistance thanks to outreach from the Assemblywoman's office. Click here to view a brief video about this project.
Last week's meeting opened with a public hearing on a proposed local law related to a new special events policy. Several stakeholders attended, and a couple of them raised questions and concerns that will be explored in part of our consideration of a final version of this local law. We voted to hold the public hearing open through at least November 18. Click here for last week's full agenda, including a link to the meeting video and the draft of proposed local law 8 (Special Events).
Community Connections
Join me for Open Office Hours with the Mayor tomorrow in the Board of Trustees office on the first floor of Village Hall from 10:00am until 12:00noon. The public is invited come by to ask a question, offer a suggestion, or raise a concern about anything village related. If you prefer to meet me outside, weather permitting, please call my cell phone 914-640-0575 when you arrive and I'll bring a couple of folding chairs onto the front lawn for us.
Have a burning question or idea, at any hour of the day or night?... Email me (mayor@villageofossining.org), Village Manager Karen D'Attore (kdattore@villageofossining.org) or the Board of Trustees (bot@villageofossining.org).
Tuesday's Work Session
Note: because of Veteran's Day, our Village Board work session will take place on Tuesday evening. This week's work session includes a visit from Village Historian Joyce Sharrock Cole who will present her report on the application for an honorary street naming for Barrington Anthony Walker-Davidson. We will also have a presentation from Jaimie Hoffman highlighting the village's strides in connecting with residents through social media. Click here for the agenda and meeting.
With Regards,
