North Hudson levy increases 1.17 percent in 2012

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The village of North Hudson passed the 2012 budget during a special meeting Tuesday, Nov. 29. The budget includes a 1.17 percent increase in the tax levy, bringing the levy to $1,434,280. Last year’s levy was $1,417,672, or $16,608 less.

Final approval was hard to come by, as the first vote for levy of 1,439,775 failed because of a 3-3 tie vote (Trustee Jim Thomas was absent from the meeting and the board had voted not to allow him to vote via a conference call). That version of the budget, recommended by the Finance Committee, included a 3 percent raise for staff members and a 1.5 percent increase in the tax levy. Voting in favor of the budget were Trustees Colleen O’Brien-Berglund and Marc Zappa and President George Klein; opposed were Trustees Dan Ortner, Daryl Standafer and Stan Wekkin.

The board then convened into a closed session and returned to open session and voted 5-1 (Standafer voted “no”) to present a proposed budget that included a 1.5 percent raise for staff members. That version of the budget passed with Ortner switching his original budget “no” vote to a “yes” vote, making the final tally 4-2 in favor.

Standafer said the budget should not have included increases in employee compensation. He said he believed a wage increase sends the wrong message and is not a reflection of whether or not the staff deserves an increase.

Village Administrator, Gloria Troester told the board that even with the 1.5 percent wage increase, employees would still take home up to 6.5 percent less because of increased contributions to insurance and retirement benefits.

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