The Manhasset Park District has adopted a 2001 operating budget that calls for holding the line on property taxes and raising for the first time in six years the daily commuter parking fee.

With numerous parking spaces commandeered by the LIRR during its capital project, the Park District Commissioners estimate that the MPD lost almost $100,000 in potential revenues over the past two and one-half years.

Effective Jan. 1, 2001, MPD commuters will pay $3 a day instead of $2 to park in the lots. The revenues raised from this additional dollar will fund a number of necessary capital projects, such as the installation and purchase of new lights to illuminate all of the MPD's station properties.

In addition, funds in the 2001 budget have been set aside for improvements to the parking field closest to the refurbished station building (Lot #1) and the one between Manhasset Avenue and Memorial Place (Lot #3), the MPD Commissioners said.

"The district hasn't raised the daily parking fee since 1995," said Commissioner Michael C. Adams. "Yet there are some public improvement projects that we could no longer postpone. Since these initiatives will directly benefit commuters,

we're asking them-and not all of Manhasset's taxpayers-to assist us in paying for them."

Moreover, the Board of Commissioners took a number of steps this year to ensure the exclusivity of the MPD's station parking facilities, such as limiting permit distribution to two per household.

The Park District Board, which also includes Commissioners Patricia Roberts and Edward Winrow, conducted on Oct. 10 a public hearing on its proposed budget.

The three elected officials voted unanimously to adopt a spending plan for 2001 that totals $970,854 and freezes the property tax rate at 38 cents per $100 assessed valuation.

Commuters' daily parking fees fund about 60 percent of the MPD's annual operating budget, with the balance financed through the property tax, shopper and business parking fees, and revenues collected via parking tickets.