Stays Within Tax Cap, Maintains Services & Positions
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano recently released his 2020 executive budget proposal, which stays within the property tax cap and contains no reductions in city services. The budget also contains a record $12.1 million increase in the city’s contribution to the school district.
Despite this record increase in the city’s school funding, the district still anticipates a $17.6 million shortfall, as Yonkers continues to receive far less school funding from the state government than other large cities. Spano said that while he is grateful for the additional school funding contained in the recently-passed state budget, he is concerned that a large gap still exists.
“My proposed executive budget literally takes every spare penny we have and sends it to the schools, but there is still a significant gap,” he said. “It is critical that the state finishes the job of funding Yonkers schools fairly.”
The budget for the combined city and Board of Education general funds is $1.151 billion – an increase of $37.6 million ($6.7 million for the city and $30.8 million for the BOE), or 3.38 percent.
The executive budget includes a record $265.5 million appropriation to the Board of Education, the largest contribution ever provided by an administration. This is a historic investment in funding from the City.
The budget includes a $12.1 million increase in the “maintenance of effort” transfer to the Board of Education, which represents a 5.3 percent increase. This amount includes $467,000 in additional revenue from sales tax, which the administration dedicates to education funding. Including fiscal year 2020, the administration’s combined contribution to the BOE has increased by $139 million cumulatively since fiscal year 2012, which excludes the absorption of $9.1 million of BOE administrative services into the municipal budget.
Also included in the budget is a municipal general fund operating budget of $541.3 million.
The budget stays within the state-mandated property tax cap with a proposed 2.5 percent increase in the tax levy. This is the seventh consecutive budget that proposes to stay within the tax cap, preserving the State Tax Relief Credit for homeowners. As a result, depending on the household income level, Yonkers residents can expect to receive $724 to $1,026 in tax credit relief.
The 2020 budget does not propose cuts to municipal services and its workforce. It provides for more efficiencies and savings through reorganization efforts, and proposes to better staff critical needs – including the Department of Housing and Buildings, which must address record development as well as improved inspection of older properties; and the Water Department, which must address an aged infrastructure that threatens delivery of services to residents. In both of these cases, increased staffing will be offset by revenues or accumulated fund balances.
“My hope is that the 2020 executive budget is a basis for discussions and decisions,” said Spano. “I am calling on our partners including our state delegation, the City Council and our union leaders to continue to build upon the spirit of cooperation that has passed seven consecutive bipartisan budgets during my time in office.”
The complete 2020 budget can be downloaded and viewed at www.yonkersny.gov.
