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Mattituck Park District proposes 7 percent spending decrease

Mattituck Park District residents will vote on a proposed $404,860 budget Thursday, Aug. 11, that’s $27,500 less than the current year’s budget.

“We think we can get by with what we’ve got,” said park district commission chairman Charles Zaloom of the almost 7 percent spending decrease for 2012.

Mr. Zaloom said that with $205,000 being allocated for improvements next year, the district should be able to maintain its various sites at Veterans Memorial, Bailie Beach, Aldrich Lane, Bay Avenue and Marratooka Lake parks, Wolf Pit Lake, Mattituck Creek boat launch and park and the Peconic Bay Boulevard softball field and beach.

Although there are various increases in spending within the budget, park commissioners are proposing to apply $150,000 from the district’s fund balance to the 2012 budget. That’s $46,000 more than was applied from the fund balance for the current year. There’s also a $5,000 increase in anticipated revenues from miscellaneous sources, including facility rentals and a small decrease in payroll.

The allocation for site improvements actually represents a $65,000 increase over current spending.

In making the decision to allocate a larger amount from the fund balance to next year’s budget, Mr. Zaloom said it was to avoid a major tax increase at a time when many residents are still feeling the pinch of the recession.

The current tax rate is $17 per $1,000 of assessed valuation and that was down from $18 the previous year. The exact assessment for 2012 hasn’t yet been established.

Mr. Zaloom said he anticipates the district will not only be able to keep spending down next year, but to sustain lower spending in future years.

“It’s a modest budget,” Mr. Zaloom said.

Voting takes place at district headquarters at Veterans Memorial Park from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 11.

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