New Rochelle City Council Passes 2014 Budget

The New Rochelle City Council Tuesday passed a budget for 2014 that did not exceed the state-mandated tax cap.

The unanimously approved budget has a tax levy of 1.63 percent and a tax rate increase of 2.06 percent. 

City officials said the average property owner will see an increase of $65 on the city's portion of their annual tax bill.

"I am gratified by the unanimous support for this budget, which maintains our existing level of services, at a minimal impact to our taxpayers," said City Manager Charles B. Strome III.

Strome had originally proposed a tax levy increase of 5.83 percent, which would have required an override of the tax cap. Had that budget been approved taxpayers might have seen an average increase in the city's tax bill of $207 per year.

Additional revenue used to offset the tax levy came from the sale of city-owned property and Avalon II, the passage of state legislation spreading the cost of fire hydrant expenses to all rate payers and a smaller increase in health care costs.

The council also adopted a capital improvement budget of close to $14 million, of which 70 percent will be funded by federal and state grants.

Projects include street resurfacing, storm drain and sanitary sewer improvements, tree planting and sidewalk replacement.

A bond issue of $2.5 million will finance the purchase of Public Works and Parks department vehicles, a fire engine and Halcyon Park area drainage improvements.