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The preliminary 2013 Harrison budget has a 2.7 percent tax levy increase from the adopted 2012 budget of $54,832,424, but it falls under the New York State-mandated 2 percent tax cap. The appropriation amount to be raised by taxes is $42,604,584.
Nearly one-third of the budget is for the Harrison Police Department at $17,029,896.
Currently, the department has 61 police officers with a combined $5,923,695 in total salaries. The preliminary 2013 budget asks for 64 officers, who would make a combined $6,078,346 in total salaries.
However, that could change during the budget process, which led Harrison Police Chief Anthony Marraccini to speak up for his department at the Dec. 3 board meeting.
Throughout the year, Marraccini said his department made “high-profile arrests” and conducted “quality investigations.”
However, “patrols have been stripped down to bare minimums and, unfortunately, there’s times on the road where we don’t have police cars in service,” Marraccini said.
His mission is “to try to provide the best possible services that we can for the people of Harrison,” which he believes his department has demonstrated.
Salaries and benefits make up nearly 75 percent of the budget.
The town/village board meetings will start at 7:30 p.m. in the court room of the Municipal Building.
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