Residents within the Town of Brookhaven could see a 1.89% tax hike for 2022 if the newly released potential budget gets adopted in November, staying within the state’s 2% property tax cap.

According to the tentative operating budget, all major tax districts are structurally balanced, and no fund balance is utilized to balance the budget for the six major tax districts for the fourth year in a row. The total tax levy increase for all tax districts is 1.89%, and the six major tax districts levy increase is 1.85%

Proposed by town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) earlier this week, the $316.8 million budget would restore a total of 36 jobs (4.4%) that were cut last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The town’s 2021 adopted operating budget planned for a continuing pandemic environment and I am happy to report that we have performed as expected financially, with revenues on target in most departments and expenditures expected to meet budget despite the sharp rise in prices for many commodities,” Romaine wrote. “I expect no erosion of fund balance in all major tax districts at the end of 2021, other than the use of surplus in one fund to address hazardous trees throughout the town.” 

Romaine noted that while certain facilities and programs are still not fully open due to the pandemic, he expects everything to be as it was before coronavirus early next year.

“My 2022 tentative budget assumes a return to normal operations beginning in January 2022 with all government services available both in person and virtually,” he said. 

The tentative budget also highlights a growth in the landfill post-closure reserve by $1.2 million to an anticipated $21.2 million, and stabilization of snow removal costs. 

The board will hold a budget public hearing on Nov. 4 at 5 p.m. at Town Hall.