Bronxville Village Trustees Criticize 2% Tax Cap at Annual Meeting and Pass Law to Exceed It, If Needed
Apr. 3, 2013: The Bronxville Board of Trustees, at its April 1 annual meeting, adopted Local Law #3-2013, which allows the board, when adopting the village's 2013-2014 budget, to override the 2% tax cap mandated by the State of New York.
"The adoption of the law does not indicate an intention to exceed the 2% cap," stated Harold Porr, village administrator. "It gives this board the authority to exceed the cap if it's in the best interest of the village to do so." Porr noted that the law will give the trustees maximum flexibility in the ongoing budget process.
Deputy Mayor Robert Underhill reminded the board that, prior to the State of New York's imposing the 2% cap, Bronxville was one of the few municipalities that had passed several budgets calling for no increase in taxes.
"I find it deeply offensive when our state legislators say they're keeping property taxes down when, in fact, they aren't," Underhill said. "I believe that the ability to levy taxes on a local basis rests with village government, not the state."
Mayor Mary Marvin described the conflict between restraints imposed by the state and its unfunded mandates as "one of the most frustrating things I've been involved with during my tenure." She questioned the political motivation of the state in sending the village a bill for pension contributions, health care premiums, and workers' compensation premiums that constitutes a 5% increase, when "we're the people who are supposed to, somehow, not raise taxes by more than 2%."
Marvin reminded the board that village capital improvements are not exempt from the tax cap and characterized the cap as a powerful disincentive for municipalities to deal with aging infrastructure.
Other Trustee Action
Trustee Anne W. Poorman presented a resolution to appoint Cheryl Jarosz as a police officer to the Bronxville Police Department. Jarosz, an Eastchester resident, served with the Mount Vernon Police Department for seven years.
The board unanimously passed the resolution, making Jarosz the second female officer on the Bronxville force. Her appointment brings the number of officers to 20, which is two positions short of a full complement.
The Bronxville Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, April 8, at 8:00 pm in the Trustees Room at Bronxville Village Hall, at which time the board, by a resolution passed at the annual meeting, will hold a public hearing on the 2013-2014 proposed budget.
Pictured here: Mayor Mary Marvin being sworn in to her fifth term as Bronxville Village mayor by Justice George McKinnis.
Photo by Carol P. Bartold
Government & History Directory
Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
Village of Bronxville Administrative Offices
337-6500
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Police Department
337-0500
Open 24 hours
Bronxville Parking Violations
337-2024
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Fire Deparment
793-6400
Government & History Recent Articles
Quick Links
Newsletter
MyhometownBroxnville reserves the right to monitor and remove all comments. For more information on Posting Rules, please review our Rules and Terms of Use, both of which govern the use and access of this site. Thank you.
The information presented here is for informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to present accurate information, myhometownBronxville, LLC, does not in any way accept responsibility for the accuracy of or consequences from the use of this information herein. We urge all users to independently confirm any information provided herein and consult with an appropriate professional concerning any material issue of fact or law. The views and opinions expressed by the writers, event organizers and advertisers do not necessarily represent those of myhometownBronxville, LLC, its officers, staff or contributors. The use of this website is governed by the Terms of Use . No portion of this publication may be reproduced or redistributed, either in whole or part, without the express written consent of the publisher.
Copyright © 2009 myhometownbronxville.com, All rights reserved.