BEACON — The proposed 2021 Beacon city budget was approved Monday night by a unanimous vote of the city council.
In light of the economic downturn during the COVID-19 pandemic and the racial reckoning stemming from George Floyd’s death in May, public safety, avoiding layoffs and keeping tax hikes at a minimum were top priorities for Mayor Lee Kyriacou.
Although the initial budget he proposed sought to keep the tax rate flat for residents, a one percent tax increase was included in the final proposal.
Kyriacou relented to the tax increase, believing it was still a fiscally responsible way to manage the pandemic’s economic effects.
“I think that the revisions that are put on the table, which do result in a 1 percent increase in the tax rate for existing properties, I do believe it’s reasonable,” said the mayor. “I do that with some difficulty; I am very cautious in expending taxpayer funds.”
With regard to public safety, the budget initially called for eliminating the police K-9 unit, but the Acting Police Chief Sands Frost requested to bring back the unit, citing that it created a positive connection between law enforcement and the community.
“It’s on the recommendation of the chief that he feels that there’s a positive aspect of having the canine dog,” said City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero, who had conversations about the topic with him personally.
The police budget overall did not reflect any significant changes.
