East Hampton Village residents will pay a slightly lower tax rate in fiscal year 2027 than in 2026, according to a summary of the tentative budget issued by Marcos Baladron, the village administrator, to Mayor Jerry Larsen and the village board on Tuesday.
The fiscal year begins on Aug. 1 and ends July 31, 2027. Mr. Baladron will deliver a presentation on the proposed budget to the public at the board’s meeting tomorrow.
The $31.9 million tentative budget lowers taxes by 0.29 percent, whereas the current budget increased taxes by 1.28 percent. The tax rate is 31.35 percent. Estimated revenues total slightly over $17 million, an increase of almost $1.8 million over 2026. The personnel budget totals $13.86 million, an increase of $239,038. A surplus remains at $600,000, and a contingency account remains at $300,000.
Medical insurance increases in the proposed budget from $5.07 million to $5.15 million; employee retirement increases 13 percent, to $1.36 million, and police retirement increases 11.6 percent, to $1.8 million. The allocation for fire protection services increases by $131,329, to $4.5 million.
Building Department permit revenues are up by $128,520, and contractors’ license revenues are up $101,770 year to date, according to the tentative budget.
The village’s approach to its annual budget “has produced tangible results: three consecutive years of tax reductions, a greatly strengthened cash position, invested millions of dollars in the village’s infrastructure, and reduced our overall debt burden,” Mr. Baladron wrote. The tax cut in the tentative 2027 budget, he wrote, will be the fourth in six years.
The tentative budget “continues to fund the services our residents depend on, advances the capital investments our village requires, and does so while remaining well below New York State’s allowable tax cap,” he added, noting that the village has never exceeded the property tax cap. “Year after year, while others have sought overrides or pushed to the edge of the cap, this village has remained well within its limits without sacrificing the quality of services our residents expect.”
A letter accompanying the budget recognizes the recent retirements of Lt. Greg Brown after 25 years in the Police Department; Linda Beyer from the Building Department after 21 years; J.P. Foster, a longtime public safety dispatcher, after 35 years with the village, and Rob Aldridge (21 years), Jeff Miller (30 years), and Jeff Verity (30 years), all recently retired from the Department of Public Works.
It also acknowledges Kenneth Collum, longtime fire marshal and member of the Fire Department, who will retire in September.