East Hampton Village Administrator Marcos Baladron presented the village board on May 17 with a $29 million tentative budget for 2025, which will be the subject of a public hearing on June 21. If accepted, it will lower taxes by a smidge, .0184 percent, representing the third consecutive year of tax cuts for village residents.
“The village of East Hampton’s tax base is 97 percent residential, and property tax bills are substantial, as village residents pay both village and town taxes,” Mr. Baladron wrote in a letter accompanying his presentation. “Therefore, while compiling the annual budget, my goals are to lower taxes, if possible; deliver high-quality services for village residents; keep investing in the village’s infrastructure and equipment; grow the village’s cash on hand position for long-needed capital projects, while lowering our debt burden. The budget meets these goals while keeping far below New York State’s allowable tax cap.”
Village revenues increased by $1,273,716, with the bulk of the growth, $420,938, generated by building permits.
The village’s personnel budget is over $13 million, with the emergency communication and police departments eating up nearly half of the amount. Employee retirement payouts crested the million-dollar mark, and police retirement payouts neared the $1.5 million level, rising 17 percent. Medical insurance for village employees rose 12 percent, to nearly $5 million.
On the plus side of the ledger, village taxes brought in $14,725,341. Other big money generators included nearly $5 million brought in from emergency services contracts with the town; over $4 million from building and beach parking permits, and $1.4 million in rent.
