March 19th Newsletter

Hello Hartsdale Community, We are sending out this newsletter with important updates on Edgemont Incorporation and the 2024-2025 GCSD Draft Budget.

EDGEMONT INCORPORATION UPDATE Special Meeting Update This Wednesday, March 20th at 7:00 PM at the Greenburgh Town Hall, The Center for Governmental Research (CGR) will present research and findings with public Q&A on potential impacts of The Edgemont Incorporation Committee’s (EIC) proposal to incorporate Edgemont. The meeting will be in person, cablecast and available via Zoom. For more information on how to participate.   Background On Edgemont Incorporation  The Town of Greenburgh is divided in half. Approximately half the population live in six incorporated Villages (e.g. Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Hastings, Tarrytown, Elmsford and Irvington) that have their own local governments and limited public services, like police. While the other half lives in the unincorporated area of Greenburgh that consists of hamlets contained mostly within one of three US census designated places (e.g. Hartsdale,Fairview,Greenville/Edgemont.)  Edgemont activists have been working to incorporate for many years and in 2016, a group of Edgemont residents formed the EIC, “to inform residents on key issues surrounding incorporation, and take all necessary steps to hold a vote on whether to become our own village. The EIC believes Edgemont would enjoy a representative and accountable government that shares equally in the benefits and burdens of self-governance.”  Edgemont has twice submitted petitions to Incorporate but were denied by the courts who struck down the petitions as insufficient. Once again, the EIC has been moving over the last 16 months to formalize self-governing plans, budgets and town maps to present to our Town Supervisor Paul Feiner for approval and ultimately bring the matter to a vote. Unfortunately, under NYS law only Edgemont residents within designated EIC mapping would get to vote even though it would greatly and adversely impact Hartsdale and Fairview residents. Currently that impact could not even be considered in deciding the matter. Greenburgh residents seeing the economic unfairness and elements of racial inequality in the current law, petitioned NYS lawmakers to change the law to incorporate the impact of the larger community to the decision making process. In the new law, changes in the process would be put into effect and the impact to the community would be considered by an unbiased approval board before any vote could take place. But at the last minute Senator Andrea Steward Cousins and Assemblywoman Paulin put in an amendment to the bill that would exempt Edgemont from the new process through 2040.   In January, the Greenburgh Town Council hired legal counsel to oppose this amendment and the independent study by CGR was initiated to determine the broader impact of incorporation to our community, the findings from that study are being reported this week to the public. We expect the EIC to move quickly to get a petition to Paul Feiner who will either approve it or reject it to move forward to a vote. If it is rejected, we expect a round of appeals that will take a few years to get through the system.   HNA Role The HNA Executive Leadership Committee strongly opposes the special treatment Edgemont has been given and any decision or vote that takes place without consideration of the impact to the entire Unincorporated Area of Greenburgh. We believe Edgemont Incorporation will lead to higher taxes and reduced services for Edgemont and Greenburgh as a whole with the greatest impact felt in Hartsdale and Fairview.

GREENBURGH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT UPDATE Budget And Voting The 2024-25 GCSD budget discussions have started and can be viewed at the recent Finance Committee Meeting and The GCSD BOE Meeting. The draft budget document can be viewed on the GCSD website. The School District is proposing a 4.12% increase to the Tax Levy and an overall 3.74% increase to total revenues ($80,950,278). This lower revenue increase is due to a projected 5.13% ($340,231) decrease in state aid. The final projected aid will be determined when the state budget is reconciled in April. What Does This Mean For Homeowners? Since taxes are based on the value of your home, your taxes would go up or down based on the projected increase in the tax formula and the value of your home.  As an example if your home was worth $607k in 2023 and has increased in value by 4.88% in 2024 to $636.6k, your school tax bill would increase by 5.61%. The final budget hearing is scheduled for May 7th and the Budget Vote is scheduled for May 21st.   Board of Education There are three opens seats for the Board of Education with three year terms from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027. The election will take place on May 21st. Community members are invited to run; interested parties can email board@greenburghcsd.org for more information or fill out this form.

OTHER NEWS Greenburgh Town Job Openings  There are several job openings including in Public Works, Town Controller and more. If you are interested or know anyone who is qualified, you can find out more information on the town website.  Greenburgh Artists And Crafters Market The first market is planned to take place on April 27 at Presser Park/Webb Field. There are some very talented artists living in our community and we look forward to seeing their work. More information can be found on TOG website and ARTSW website.

HNA MEMBER INFORMATION The Hartsdale Neighbors Association (HNA) is a group of passionate volunteers who are driven to improve our community.  We foster neighborhood engagement and community-based problem solving, enhance civic awareness and provide a vehicle for community-based efforts.  If you’d like to be more involved with HNA and join the Executive Board, one of our committees or other efforts, please contact us at info@hartsdaleneighbors.org.

IMPORTANT DATES Meeting on Edgemont Incorporation – March 20 GCSD Spring Recess – March 25 – 29 TOG Town Board Meeting – March 27 Presidential Primary – April 2 TOG Town Board Meeting – April 10 Woodlands Scholarship Fund Meeting – April 15 GCSD School Board Candidate Petitions Due – April 22 Arts and Crafts Fair – April 27 PTA Council Candidate Night – May 1 GCSD Budget Hearing – May 7 Veteran Recognition Breakfast – May 9 GCSD Board and Budget Vote  – May 21 Federal, State, and Local Primary – June 25