North Hempstead postpones budget vote after Democrats pitch tax levy cut

The Town of North Hempstead postponed its vote on the 2025 budget after Democrats proposed a last-minute, $5 million cut to the tax levy.

Supervisor Jennifer DeSena had proposed a nearly $143 million budget for 2025, up 3.3% from 2024. The town would collect $48 million in taxes, the same as in 2024. The tax levy is the total revenue the town raises from property taxes.

Taxes on a home in the unincorporated sections of North Hempstead would average $858.39 under DeSena's plan. For residents living in North Hempstead's villages, town taxes would total $280.14.

Robert Troiano, a Democratic councilman, proposed the tax levy cut during a board meeting on Oct. 29.

Troiano’s proposal would lower the total tax levy from $48 million to $43 million, a reduction of 10.4%. Troiano's proposal would cut the levy for homeowners who live in the town's villages by $5 million, from $22.9 million to $17.9 million, a reduction of nearly 22% for those homeowners. Under both DeSena and Troiano's plans, the levy for the town's outside villages fund would remain at $25.2 million.

The Democrats' proposal would draw from prior years' surpluses to make up for the loss in tax revenues. Troiano said he came up with the idea at 4 a.m. Tuesday following a sleepless night. DeSena, a registered Democrat who caucuses with Republicans, agreed to consider Troiano’s suggestion but questioned his timing.

"To come up with a $5 million tax cut at 4 o’clock in the morning really is quite amazing, since we did have a lengthy work session on this a few weeks ago," DeSena said during the board meeting.

The board is expected to consider the proposal on Nov. 12. Republicans hold a 4-3 majority on the town board.

Troiano said the town should return part of its surplus in the form of a tax cut. "For the town, our revenue is from the taxpayers," Troiano said in an interview. "The money that we’re saving every year is not our money. It’s not the town’s money," he said. "It’s the taxpayer’s money."

Troiano objected after a separate amendment he had proposed, to add an evening code officer, was not considered. He said he had sent it to DeSena, town board members and other officials. But he said he did not know it also needed to go to the town attorney’s office.

Town attorney Richard Nicolello said amendments that affect the town budget must be posted online and made available to the public within 24 hours of a meeting.

"If you gave it to us, we would’ve made sure it got posted. But you didn’t," Nicolello said.

By Joshua Needelman

joshua.needelman@newsday.com

Joshua Needelman covers the Town of North Hempstead for Newsday. A Long Island native and University of Maryland graduate, his work has appeared in publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post.