1. The current tax rate is $8.95 which means a home as-
sessed at $3,500 pays approximately $313.32 a year for
library taxes. If approved the new budget would raise the
rate to approximately $9.17, bringing the annual taxes on
the same home to $320.84, an annual increase in library
taxes of $7.52.
“Over the years we have made significant upgrades to
ourbuildinginordertolightenourbuild-
ingoperationexpensesandmaintainour
library,” the board said in a statement to
the public. “A new roof with solar panels
and new windows and doors have made
the library quieter and more energy effi-
cient.”
Looking to the future the board wants
to address the HVAC units, which are
far beyond their life span. “Our goal is to
become a LEED (Leadership in Energy
& Environment Design) building from
which the entire community will benefit,” they said.
Running unopposed for a five-year term is incumbent
trustee Anna Fogel.
On April 14, the voting takes place at the library, 815
Deer Park Ave., North Babylon, from 1 to 9 p.m. For
more information, call the library at 631-669-4020.
West Babylon:
An increase in this year’s proposed budget of approxi-
mately $40,000 will help the West Babylon Library make
facilities improvements over the coming year, includ-
ing new flooring and furnishings. The library board also
wants to update the teen space and add additional pro-
grams for all library users, according to Gail Pepa, library
director.
The library’s current budget is $3.58 million and the
board is asking for an increase to $3.63 million, which
would bring the tax rate from $10.40 per $100 of assessed
valueto$10.57.Thatmeansthatahomeassessedat$3,500
currently pays $364 a year in library taxes. That annual
cost would increase $5.84 on the same home, bringing
the annual rate to approximately $370.
There are two seats open on the West Babylon Library
Board, a one-year seat left open by the resignation of
Joan Rizzo and a five-year seat. Running for those seats
is incumbent board president Richard Harty and Rachel
Scelfo. The candidate who receives the highest number
of votes will win the five-year
term and the other candidate
will win the one-year seat.
On April 14, the polls at the
library, 211 Route 109, West
Babylon, are open from 1 to
9 p.m. For more information,
call the library at 631-669-
5445.
West Islip:
A library budget calling for
a tax levy (that portion of the
library budget paid for with real property taxes) of $4.16
million, a two percent increase of over the current budget
of approximately $4.08 million, will help the West Islip
library increase funding for children’s programming as
well as for computer and electronic resources, according
to Library Director Andrew Hamm.
The increase is approximately $81,000. The budget
vote and trustee election is Tues., April 14.
Currently, residents in a home assessed at the Home-
stead rate $45,000, pay $416.61 a year for library taxes.
If the new budget is approved it would increase the an-
nual cost by $8.34 bringing the total on the same home
to $424.
Running unopposed for another five-year term is in-
cumbentJamesChristophersenwhoservesastheboard’s
president.
The budget vote and election will be held at the library,
3 Higbie La., West Islip. The polls are open from 10 a.m.
to9p.m.atthelibrarymeetingroom. Formoreinforma-
tion, call the library at 631-661-7080.
Library budget votes and trustee elections coming up
(Continued from Page 5)
16 • BEACON NEWSPAPER, March 26, 2015
by Emily Moran and Eileen Interiano
Mayor Ralph Scordino and Trustees Tony Davida
and Debbie Basile, members of the Better Babylon
Party, were reelected last week. The officials ran unop-
posed, a sign that Scordino said he hoped meant that
the residents were satisfied with the way he and the
trustees are running the Village.
“You never know, but I hope that this election shows
the residents of the Village are happy with what we
have done,” said Scordino.
On Tues., March 18 the poll closed with Scordino
getting 317 votes. Trustees Basile and Davida received
311 and 309 votes, respectively.
MayorScordino’spoliticalcareerintheVillagebegan
when he was elected as a trustee in 1987. Later he was
appointed deputy mayor and was officially appointed
mayor in 2002 following the death of Mayor E. Donald
Conroy. Scordino first ran for mayor in 2003 and has
been reelected every four years since then.
Over the last 12 years, Scordino said he has accom-
plished many of his goals but has restructured his goals
for his new term.
“One of my main goals is to make sure our facili-
ties and infrastructure are repaired and operational,”
said Mayor Scordino. “There are three major facilities
including the Village pool, which is the jewel of the
Babylon Village,” he said. “Because of its location on
the water, it gets very damaged from the salt water. It
Babylon Village mayor and trustees reelection; talk about future goals
takes a lot of money and effort to
maintain it.”
The Village’s boat slips and golf
course, which help make the Vil-
lage unique, are also facilities that
have to be maintained. “It takes a
lot to prepare the bulk heading of
the slips for the winter and the wa-
ter has to be turned off each winter
to prevent the pipes from bursting
and freezing,” said Scordino, who
pointed to the assistance of fellow
board members in accomplishing
this.
As for the golf course, it is a sea-
sonal operation and after this se-
vere winter, the Village has been
working to make sure it will be
ready to open on time.
Even with his budgetary con-
straints, Scordino said the Village
has managed to repair 26 miles of
the 45 miles of road in the Village
since he came into office in 2002.
He said his main challenges as
mayor are financial and budgetary.
“After two hurricanes, and 17 snow storms last year, it is a major challenge to keep things up to standard.”
The Better Babylon Party was required to get 100
signatures to have its candidates on the ballot. As a
result of the strong efforts of supporters, it handed in
more than 4,000 signatures.
“Our philosophy is to go out and get people who are
behind you and support you,” he said.
For one voter and Better Babylon Party supporter,
those words rang true.
“It’s important to vote,” she said. “You see what peo-
ple do in other countries for freedom and the right to
vote. We should exercise our freedom by coming out
to vote even when the election is uncontested.”
“It’s a privilege and a right to vote, it’s your op-
portunity to have your voice heard and it’s one of the
community purposes you have,” said Scordino.
Also a privilege is the opportunity to serve, said
Scordino.
“To be mayor you have to have the right personality
to deal with everything,” he said. “You have to have a
sense of humor and a sense of understanding. It’s a big
commitment.”
The trustees echoed those sentiments.
"I am excited to be able to serve the Village and the
residents for another four years," said Basile. "I hope to
continue with my work with the Conklin House and
look we are putting together new programs all the
time."
“I am very honored and humbled for the support,”
said Davida. “And I look forward to being able to con-
tinue to work on behalf of the Village and residents.
As for the next four years, the mayor said he plans
to continue working with the rest of the board on their
goals to have the Village move forward.
“The main goal is to improve,” said Scordino. “Every
year you can have improvement, and this term I want
to do a better job than I did in the last 12 years and
make people happier. Babylon is a great place, people
want to come here live or to start a store or a restaurant
and we take great pride in what we do to make the Vil-
lage the success that it is.”
Voter in Babylon Village checks in before casting his ballot.