Yorktown Tentative 2025 Town Budget to Address Rising Costs and Maintain Fiscal Responsibility

October 31, 2024) — Yorktown Supervisor Ed Lachterman presented a tentative 2025 Town budget today impacted by fiscal challenges due to escalating costs, unfunded mandates, and economic pressures on both state and national levels.

“While Yorktown stands as a model of fiscal responsibility, our partners in Albany and Washington are not, and we are now seeing the impact firsthand,” said Supervisor Lachterman. “Our mission to protect property taxpayers continues, and we will seek innovative ways to address the economic pressures we face.”

To manage these pressures and ensure Yorktown remains a vibrant and affordable community, Town officials were forced to propose an 8.6% Town tax increase in the tentative 2025 Town Budget. The proposed Town property tax increase on a home assessed at $10,000 would be $144. Town taxes represent about 11% of taxpayers total tax bill, while school taxes—which Town officials do not control—represent about 70% of the total.

During his time on the Town Board, Supervisor Lachterman and his team focused on keeping Yorktown among the most affordable communities in Westchester County, successfully reducing or maintaining flat Town taxes over the past five years. Despite this record, new, external pressures from state and federal mandates—such as a 40% spike in general and health insurance costs and rising paving costs—are now straining the Town’s finances. State aid remains flat, requiring Yorktown to invest an additional $1.25 million in road paving alone to meet local infrastructure needs.

Even amid economic challenges, Yorktown saw significant achievements in 2024:

• Mohegan Avenue elevated to prevent flooding.
• Enhanced erosion control implemented at Mohegan Lake Park.
• A new water loop added to improve service for approximately 200 homes in Croton Heights.
• Police officers will soon be equipped with body cameras, reinforcing transparency and public confidence.
• The community center received a new elevator and theater upgrades, including beautiful new glass doors.
• The John C. Hart Memorial Library completed renovations, adding study rooms and upgraded lighting to better serve the community.
• Nearly $350,000 in park improvements were made, including new pickleball courts.
• Upgraded entire Town wide communication system with reliable VOIP phone systems, which had been an issue for over a decade.

 In the coming weeks, the Town Board will meet with department heads to explore further cost-saving measures that could reduce the tentative Town tax increase.

 A copy of the Tentative 2025 Town Budget is posted on Yorktown's website. See link below.