Village of Massapequa Park Mayor George Nussbaum recently presented his proposed budget for the 1998-99 fiscal year. The proposal calls for a major focus on road repair, while maintaining last year's property tax rate. The proposed tax rate is $6.15 per $100 assessed valuation.

Part of the reason why the tax rate is remaining at last year's level is because of an increase in state aid, and the overall increase in the projected assessed valuation for the end of the year, due in part to the addition of six new houses on Grand Ave. He added that it's also "due to new house sales, where the new owner is neither a veteran nor a senior citizen."

The village offers tax breaks for seniors and veterans which reduces the overall revenue that the village receives. When new owners purchase a house, the property is put back on the tax rolls at full assessment.

Also, the village had appropriated $40,000 for snow removal, which became unnecessary with this winter's generally warm season.

Nussbaum said that the village was very active in fighting for state aid. He noted that recently the entire board of trustees traveled to Albany to met with Assemblyman Steve Labriola to figure out ways to get more state aid for the village.

Some of the biggest increases in this years proposed budget are for engineering services, for which Nussbaum proposes an increase of $145,000, and drainage repair. Nussbaum said that much of the villages drainage is going to have to be assessed for repair or replacement.

The main focus of Nussbaums budget proposal is for road repair and maintenance. Much of the road repavement that was performed last year is chipping away, but Nussbaum said it wasnt at the villages expense. The outfits that put it down are going to redo it, said Nussbaum adding, "and they're not going to get paid until they do.

The salaries of the mayor, deputy mayor, and trustees will also be increasing at the same rate as the Consumer Price Index. Nussbaum said that his salary, $9,663 per year, is not what draws him to the office. "You've got to want to do something like this or forget it," said Nussbaum.

On March 9, the village will hold a preliminary budget hearing at Village Hall. Nussbaum said that the board of trustees will probably vote on the budget by the end of April.