The Village of East Hills Board of Trustees has passed its 2000-2001 budget, which contains expenditures of $3.670 million and a tax increase of 4.41 percent. In announcing the budget, Mayor Michael R. Koblenz said the "modest increase" was necessary to offset anticipated loss in taxes due to both tax certiorari and to increased costs for fire protection, fireman service monetary awards, salaries, supplies, sanitation, road repairs, plus other overall costs. The budget was adopted in a vote on April 24.

The new tax rate for the village amounts to $9.24 per $100 of assessed property value. Village revenues for the coming fiscal year are expected to reach $593,820. The remainder of the revenues needed to balance the budget will come from real property taxes.

Over half of all spending in the budget comes from four sources: sanitation ($481,600), fire department ($728,128), security ($437,950), and streets, including paving, snowplow, lighting, drainage ($446,997). Leaf collection, insurance, administration and various miscellaneous items take up the rest of the budget. During the last BOT campaign, the issue of security patrols came up. The defeated challenger, Derrick Rubin of the Concerned Citizens Party, suggested that security patrols be conducted 12 hours a day, instead of 24 hours, thus reducing such costs for the village. In the budget report, Mayor Koblenz said the patrols have been successful in keeping burglaries down, plus they are "continually monitored" in order to keep costs down.

Revenues other than property taxes come from departmental income ($248,563), gross utilities tax ($135,000), state aid ($203,757) and interest and penalties ($6,500).

Mayor Koblenz reported that the village's expanded sanitation program provided by village employees has allowed the BOT to control costs, resulting in financial savings of approximately $100,000 per year to local residents. He also noted the installation of a school-zone flashing lights on the eastbound service road of the Long Island Expressway in the vicinity of the Roslyn Middle School. The project was funded through a $30,000 state grant secured by State Senator Michael Balboni and came at no costs for local taxpayers. In addition, a road resurfacing program will proceed in the village at a funding level consistent with the budget, the mayor claimed.

In recent months, the biggest news in East Hills has been the transfer of the Air National Guard station from the U.S. Air Force to the village. The current BOT plans to use that 50-acre site as the home of an ambitious village park, complete with a recreational center, baseball fields, basketball courts, and a swimming pool. The village also plans to build a new village hall on the site, relocating from its present facility on Town Path Road.

With all this in mind, Mayor Koblenz said that the village wants to get moving on the project quickly in order to "allow our residents to enjoy the grounds and facilities as soon as possible."

Toward that end, the village, Mayor Koblenz added, has established a reserve fund to deal with any additional architectural plans, increased funding for demolition costs or other necessities that may spring up. The reserve, the mayor said, can be "tapped immediately" for any unforeseen problems and such funds can eventually be replenished from bonds the village hopes to obtain.