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The Town of Gardiner, New York, is set to vote on its 2025 budget, which includes a proposed 13% tax increase. The tax hike is attributed to the need for emergency medical services (EMS) funding, cybersecurity, and other costs. The Town Board has scheduled a special budget meeting to hear from the public before attempting to pass the budget. The meeting will take place at Gardiner Town Hall and via Zoom.
The proposed tax increase was announced at a meeting held on October 24, where Supervisor Marybeth Majestic detailed the new budget items. A significant portion of the budget, $100,000, is allocated from the general fund specifically for EMS support. Majestic explained that the shift towards a second-home community in Gardiner has led to a decline in local volunteers, impacting EMS response times during daytime hours. The board's plan includes compensating volunteers for covering shifts from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., ensuring timely emergency response, which Majestic described as "essential" in the town's rural setting. She noted that neighboring towns have spent as much as $1 million annually on EMS services (Times Hudson Valley).
Other budget items include $29,000 for cybersecurity measures mandated by insurance requirements and $5,000 to fund a grant writer. The highway department budget will see a $50,000 down payment for a new loader, while the sewer district will allocate $63,000 for a state-mandated sewer superintendent. Healthcare and retirement expenses also contributed to the tax hike. Retirement costs for general fund employees rose by 36.5 percent, and highway fund retirement costs increased by 45 percent, alongside a 24 percent rise in retiree health insurance premiums.
The public hearing on the budget is scheduled for November 7 at 7:05 p.m. at Gardiner Town Hall. The preliminary budget is available for inspection at the Town Clerk’s office. Proposed salaries for key officials include $57,330 for the supervisor and $77,433 for the superintendent of highways. Total levied taxes are expected to rise to $3,124,544, up from $2,759,096. Residents are invited to voice their opinions on the budget, which includes funding considerations for special districts such as Gardiner Fire and Sewer District #1.