Lindenhurst cuts $2 million from budget

Lindenhurst trustees on Monday approved a plan to cut more than $2 million from next year's budget to make up for the village's declining revenues.

The measure comes as a result of the recession, Lindenhurst Village Administrator Matt Formica said before the meeting. New development in Lindenhurst has slowed, and the village's share of state income tax money has been reduced.

"Income to the village is down primarily from declining building permit fees because construction activity is down," Formica said. "Also, the income tax money we receive from the state is down nearly $400,000 this year. That's huge."

The new budget will be $9,998,267, down from this year's total of $12,128,082. The fiscal year starts May 1.

The cuts come in the form of delayed improvement projects and by streamlining village operations.

Residents still will get everything they've come to expect from the village, Formica said.

"We've been fortunate that we haven't had to make any cuts in village services," he said. "Over the past two years, we've changed the ways we've been doing things. We were able to be more efficient, save money and cut costs as well."

Mayor Susan Lahr said village leaders have been working hard to keep the budget balanced.

"We have a done a very good job in the past two years - we've come in at almost a million dollars under our projected forecast," Lahr said during the meeting. "We have an 18 percent reduction in spending year over year. Those reductions have come from eliminating some positions and consolidating others. We are always looking at ways to be more efficient."

Lindenhurst has $2.5 million in its main reserve account. Formica said the fund had been at $3 million, but the village recently had to dip into it to meet expenses.

Formica said he expects village revenue to remain flat for the foreseeable future, but capital improvements won't stop completely.

The second phase of the Grand Avenue water main replacement will go forward from Prospect Drive to just west of Lindenhurst Drive. Deerpath Drive and Highland Court are still on the schedule for resurfacing, Formica said.