A Mild Winter Means a Budget Surplus; How should it be Spent?

The winter season has come and gone, and the highway departments of Smithtown and Brookhaven have come out with a budget surplus. But hold your horses because it might not be the jackpot that some may think.

So, what's the deal with this surplus, you ask? According to sources within the towns' government, the surpluses are smaller than many people speculate.

Officials from both Smithtown and Brookhaven Highway Departments have confirmed that they would like to use the surplus to address the much-needed road repairs and upgrades that have been long overdue.

It is worth noting that the surplus is for the current calendar year and not just the winter season. Therefore, the department has to "keep some funds in reserve for potential storms that may occur in November and December of 2023 as expenses incurred during this time will come out of the current budget, so the department must exercise caution in using the surplus," according to Brookhaven Town Superintendent of Highways Dan Losquadro. When asked how this winter compared to past ones, Losquadro explained that it was on the low end of the scale in terms of the amount of work required, saying, "It was one of the least snowy winters we've seen in recent years." he went on to say "In the ten years I’ve been here, I've had a year where we didn't put a plow or blade on the ground once. I've also had a year where we plowed 26 times.”

www.brookhavenny.gov

Losquadro made it clear that the surplus funds will not be used for recurring expenses, such as hiring new staff, as the goal is to allocate the funds towards improvement projects that are one-time expenses. He specifically mentioned drainage projects as a priority for remaining funds. This approach ensures that the public will see a significant and long-lasting benefit from the investment rather than relying on the surplus to recur annually.

If you're wondering if taxes and fees will be increased, Losquadro went on to say, "We don't want to overtax, and consequently we don't want to under tax and then have to dip into town-wide reserves, and so it is a balancing act because you're trying to budget for an unknown."

The surplus also highlights the importance of budgeting for unexpected events. While predicting future weather is impossible, having a budget accommodating varying weather patterns is a good idea. Uncertainty about the surplus is based on the delay in the NY state budget. Even with a potentially smaller surplus than anticipated, the towns are still in a better position than last year.

The Brookhaven Highway Department can be contacted at 631-451-9200 or through their website, brookhavenny.gov, under the "Contact Us" tab. They are located at One Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738.

The Smithtown Highway Department can be reached at 631-360-7500, via email at highway@smithtownny.gov, or through their website, smithtownny.gov. Their address is 758 Suffolk Avenue, Brentwood, NY 11717.