Setauket, Stony Brook Fire Districts Will Hold Budget Hearings Tuesday

Residents will have the chance to weigh in on a pair of proposed budgets on Tuesday: the Setauket Fire District budget and the Stony Brook Fire District budget.

Setauket's meeting is set for Tuesday evening at a 6 p.m. hearing at the district's headquarters on Hulse Road. Stony Brook's meeting is set for Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. at its headquarters on Main Street in Stony Brook village.

Stony Brook's proposed budget breakdown was not immediately available.

The Setauket Fire District is proposing a budget that will carry a 1.97 percent tax levy increase, which is within New York State's tax cap requirements.

"We fully understand the importance of the 2 percent cap, especially during such tough economic times throughout our fire district," William Pollina, chairman of the board of fire commissioners, said in an email to Patch. "The fire district understands that each resident is experiencing higher and higher taxes each year, sometime[s] with less services from other organizations on their tax bills."

The budget calls for a tax levy appropriation of $4,730,241, a 1.97 increase over 2012. While the district is proposing $187,730 in cuts to equipment funding – a nearly 50 percent decrease – it will see its contractual services and insurance costs increase by 15.4 percent and 15.1 percent, respectively.

Pollina said residents will not notice any changes in the services provided, and the department's volunteers will still receive all the necessary fire and safety protection equipment.

"This fire district has increased services over the past four years and continues to run more efficient each year," he said. "There was no sacrifices made in this budget that would effect the health and safety of the residents and the members of the volunteer fire department."