Unincorporated Greenburgh North Edgemont Incorporation South (Edge-Xit) What it means to the residents of Hartsdale and the rest of Unincorporated Greenburgh March 1, 2017 Hartsdale Neighbors Association
Join @ http://hartsdaleneighbors.org Agenda • Jason Muldoon Introductions & Ground Rules Demystifying Town Organizational • Dan Weinfeld Structure & Budget Dynamics Driving Incorporation • Dan Weinfeld Movement • Luis Polit Let’s Dive Into the Numbers Timeline for Incorporation & • Luis Polit Transition of Services • Jason Muldoon Next Steps • All Q&A • Karen Kelly Voter Registration & HNA Signup 2
Join @ http://hartsdaleneighbors.org Demystifying the Town Organizational Structure & Budget Town of Greenburgh POP. 88,400 (2010 census) 5 member Town Board Unincorporated Area 6 INCORPORATED VILLAGES (votes only for Town Board, Total Villages POP 45,537 taxpayers pay into the “A” and (each votes for village Mayor/Trustees, Town Board, taxpayers pay “B” Budgets) into the “A” Budget TOV POP 42,863 Irvington Edgemont (Greenville) (7,454), Hastings Ardsley Hartsdale (5,293), Fairview (6,420) (7,849) (4,452) (3,099), other neighborhoods Elmsford Dobbs Ferry Tarrytown “B”, Town -Outside Villages (TOV) Budget; $78.5 million (10,875) (11,277) (4,664) “A”, Town-Entire Budget; $20.6 million 3
Join @ http://hartsdaleneighbors.org Demystifying the Town Organizational Structure & Budget Town of Greenburgh Unincorporated area (defined by blue border) and 6 incorporated villages Westchester County Geographic Information Systems (GIS) 4
Join @ http://hartsdaleneighbors.org Dynamics Driving Incorporation Movement EDGEMONT (AKA “GREENVILLE”): (it’s all about the schools) • close knit, affluent, relatively homogenous community of 7,500 inside unincorporated Greenburgh • borders nearly co-terminus with Edgemont School District and Greenville Fire Department • identity and high property values are derived from community investment and pride in the esteemed EDGEMONT SCHOOL DISTRICT ; • 10583 effect: historically, Edgers have identified more closely with neighboring and similar Scarsdale than with the rest of more diverse TOV (Hartsdale and Fairview) and Greenburgh • Edgemont residents are not significant users of Greenburgh recreational facilities: i.e., Veterans Park pool or TDY Community Center and indoor pool in Fairview • Incorporation fads: every couple of decades, Edgemont has explored – and rejected - incorporation 5
Join @ http://hartsdaleneighbors.org Dynamics Driving Incorporation Movement THIS TIME IT’S DIFFERENT: TRIGGERS (not in order of importance) • Fears that new Greenburgh Comprehensive Plan calls for increased housing density along Central Avenue which could increase school district enrollment without a proportional increase in property tax revenue (“DEFENDING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT”) • Recent high profile litigation and disputes with Town over zoning and variances (Shelburne & Dromore): incorporation to give Edgemont control over Planning/Zoning • Concern that 2016 town-wide reassessment resulting in an increase of assessed Edgemont residential values by 9.7%, will lead to a proportional rise in TOV tax burden placed on Edgemont • Wariness about upcoming major infrastructure costs: renovation of the Veterans Park pool (est. $8.0 - $10.0 million); police station on Tarrytown Road • Perception of inefficiencies in town management: “we can spend our $ better” • Edgemont frustration with inability to shape town politics (only 8% of town pop.) 6
Join @ http://hartsdaleneighbors.org Dynamics Driving Incorporation Movement • 2005 : Edgemont Village Exploratory Committee (EVEC) releases a 38-page white paper concluding that becoming a village would not be economically feasible • 2008/2009 : economic and housing crisis puts incorporation on backburner • 2013: Democratic primary for Supervisor exposes simmering Edgemont dissatisfaction with Greenburgh leadership & distinctness from rest of Town: challenger Bob Bernstein won 77% in Edgemont - long-time Town Supervisor Paul Feiner: 23%. Feiner won Greenburgh easily with 64% townwide. • 2016 : Town Board approves the Comprehensive Plan • Town wide property reassessment results in Edgemont residents seeing a 9.7% increase (compared to Greenburgh Central School District decrease of 10.75%) • Shelburne and Dromore zoning disputes spur Edgemont discontent with Town leadership 7
Join @ http://hartsdaleneighbors.org Dynamics Driving Incorporation Movement • Edgemont Incorporation Committee ( EIC ) forms to revisit the possibility of becoming a village • Edgemont incorporation fervor catches on: pro-incorp signs and bumper stickers appear on lawns and vehicles; meetings, fundraisers and active social media campaigns; sense of generational change with new, energetic EIC leadership (not the "usual suspects"); • December 2016 , Zions Public and Novak Consulting retained by EIC issue a 68-page report purportedly demonstrating the financial feasibility – even savings - of incorporation • 2017: Town invites EIC leader Jeff Sherwin to serve on the planning board; offer was turned down • “Living Room Summit” in Manor Woods reveals no active negotiations between Town and EIC • It starts: EIC files incorporation petitions with 1,455 signatures on Feb. 27, 2017 8
Join @ http://hartsdaleneighbors.org Let’s Dive Into the Numbers Assessed Values & Population ASSESSED VALUE POPULATION 26% reduction in assessables if Edgemont 7,454 , 17% become village $75,822,685 , 26% $213,829,088 35,409 , 83% , 74% Edgemont Rest of TOV Edgemont Rest of TOV 9
Join @ http://hartsdaleneighbors.org Let’s Dive Into the Numbers Revenue – 2017 Town Outside Villages (TOV) Budget ADOPTED BUDGET BUDGET POST EDGE-XIT $0.4 , 1% $- , 0% PROPERTY TAXES $0.3 , 1% $3.9 , 5% $3.9 $5.4 , OTHER $4.0 , 5% , 6% 7% $4.5 COUNTY SALES , 7% $1.2 $3.8 , 6% TAX SHARE , 1% CABLE FRANCHISE $1.0 , 2% FEE $6.2 , 8% DEPARTMENTAL INCOME $5.1 , 8% LICENSES & PERMITS $41.3 , 68% $55.9 , 71% FEDERAL/STATE $1.2 , 2% AID FUND BALANCE Incorporation results in $17.5 million $1.6 , 2% reduction in $ 61.0 million revenues $ 78.5 million revenues revenues 10 10
Join @ http://hartsdaleneighbors.org Let’s Dive Into the Numbers Revenue Assumptions • Due to loss or Edgemont assessables of 26%, property tax revenues drop accordingly • Departmental income represents, for the most part EMS billings and recreational facility user fees for AF Veterans Park and Community Center in Fairview • Edgemont to decide whether it wants to use AF Veterans Park and other recreational venues and pay a ''fair share'' of the costs of maintaining and operating the facilities; feelers are they will opt-out; since Edgemont residents not heavy users of the recreational facilities, expect minimum income reduction • Sales tax distribution from Westchester County, cable franchise fees, licenses and permits, federal and state aid drop (used as a proxy the 17% decline in TOV population) 11 11
Join @ http://hartsdaleneighbors.org Let’s Dive Into the Numbers Appropriations – 2017 Town Outside Villages (TOV) Budget ADOPTED BUDGET GENERAL GOV'T SUPPORT $6.0 , POLICE $8.7 , 11% ? 8% RECREATION $7.2 , 9% SANITATION OTHER $19.3 , 25% $3.7 , 5% EMPLOYEE BENEFITS LIBRARY $17.2 , 22% HIGHWAY $8.2 , 10% DEBT SERVICE $5.0 , 6% $3.2 , 4% $ 61.0 million appropriations $78.5 million appropriations 12 12
Join @ http://hartsdaleneighbors.org Let’s Dive Into the Numbers Impact to property tax bill if no change to TOV budget $15,500 Assessed Value – BASIC STAR (Est. Market of $580,000) CURRENT PROPERTY TAX - $14,782 PROPERTY TAX IF NO CHANGE TO Tax bill up BUDGET - $16,048 $1,266 – TOV 42.3%, Total 8.6% County Tax, County Tax Fire District, $1,684.0 , 11% Fire District $1,684.0 $2,784.0 , 19% County 10% $2,784.0 refuse Town Outside County 17% Town $154.0 Villages refuse, $154.0 Outside 1% (TOV), , 1% Villages $2,994.0 , 20% (TOV) $4,260.0 School 27% Town Entire, District (after $259.0 , 2% School Basic STAR) District (after $6,576.0 Basic STAR), 41% $6,576.0 , 45% Sewer Town District, Entire Sewer $331.0 , 2% $259.0 District 2% $331.0 2% 13 13
Join @ http://hartsdaleneighbors.org Let’s Dive Into the Numbers Impact to property tax bill if no change to TOV budget $6,500 Assessed Value – ENHANCED STAR (Est. Market of $245,000) CURRENT PROPERTY TAX - $4,089 PROPERTY TAX IF NO CHANGE TO Tax bill up BUDGET - $4,620 $531 – TOV 42.3%, Total 12.9% County Tax County Tax, $706 $706 , 17% Fire District Fire District, 15% $1,167 $1,167 , 28% 25% County refuse $65 2% Town Outside Town Outside Villages Villages (TOV) (TOV), $1,255 $1,786 , 31% County 39% refuse, School District $65 , 2% (after Enhanced School STAR) District (after $648 Enhanced Sewer Sewer District Town Entire 14% STAR), $648 , District, $139 Town Entire, $139 $109 16% , 3% $109 , 3% 3% 2% 14 14
Join @ http://hartsdaleneighbors.org Let’s Dive Into the Numbers Closing the TOV Financing Gap Budget/Staffing reductions Agreement Closing with $17.5 million Combination Edgemont Financing of all Village for gap municipal services Tax increases 15 15
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