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HERALD BEaCon

Also serving Babylon, Bay Shore, Copiague, Deer Park, Farmingdale, Lindenhurst, North Babylon, West Babylon, West Islip and Wyandanch

Heuermann pleads guilty to Gilgo Beach murders

LEGO event coming to Old Westbury

Kite festival coming to Babylon

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VOL. 60 NO. 13

APRIL 16 - 22, 2026

$1.00

Projected budget in BV addresses increased costs

Baby Belle leads Easter celebration around Argyle Lake in Village of Babylon

By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD

cbabirad@liherald.com

Babylon Village treasurer Andrew Reichel presented the proposed 2026-27 budget at an April 6 public hearing, outlining a 5.02 percent increase over the current spending plan and detailing the key cost drivers behind the proposal. The proposed $15,307,313 budget represents an increase of approximately $731,000 over the current fiscal year. If adopted, it would result in a tax rate increase of 4.97 percent, or 94 cents per $100 of assessed value, raising the rate from $18.90 to $19.84. A home assessed at $5,000 currently pays about $945 in Village taxes annually; under the proposal, that figure would increase to approximately $992. Reichel attributed the increase primarily to insurance costs, salaries and capital improvements, along with rising mandated expenses. “All of these things cost money,” said Mayor Mary Adams, adding that some of the expenses, such as insurance costs, are outside of the Village’s control. “But I can assure you,” she told the residents at the meeting, “that a lot of the things we can control, we certainly do and we are doing everything we can to keep these numbers as low as possible while still maintaining the beautiful village, we live in.” The budget includes salary increases for both contractual and non-contrac-

Baby Belle, the Village of Babylon’s Easter Bunny and sister to Babylon Belle—the village’s groundhog—spent a sunny spring day before Easter greeting families, leading a parade around Argyle Lake, posing for photos and helping guide an egg hunt throughout the village on April 4. “I came out because it was a nice day and I’m happy to find out that the parade is taking place,” said Theresa Kainen, who attended the festivities at Argyle Lake with her six-month-old son, Gabriel. Hosted by the Village of Babylon and the Babylon Village Chamber of Commerce, the event drew a large crowd of families eager to meet Baby Belle and participate in an egg hunt that

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stretched through participating downtown businesses. Children also heard Baby Belle speak about local wildlife and the importance of protecting animals in the village and beyond. In addition to the parade, photos at Argyle Lake and the egg hunt, families lined up for portraits with Baby Belle in front of Fitness Incentive, where a floral backdrop was provided by Party Fairies. Cousins Mckenna Schauer, 8, and Julianna Jehle, 6, arrived fresh from a sleepover and were especially excited for the egg hunt, even performing their own Easter Bunny dance by the lakeside. “I’m excited for the Easter Egg Hunt,” said Mckenna. “I’m excited to find a lot of CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Carolyn James/Herald photos Top photo: shown after playing their final game of the season are Carter Castelli, Cole Castelli, Lucas Wynne, Bruce Nguyen, Emir Mkaiki, Landon Fearon, and EJ Stromski. Not pictured are team players Charlie McInerney and Avery Gazzo. Their coach was Douglas Castelli. Bottom photo: shown in photo are 2nd grade players, The Goats: Brett Egerter, Gunner Baranowski, Michael Labello- Zerebak, Giovanni Candreva, Bryce Mulvihill, Liam Kidney, Finley Mulholland, Wesley Deutsch, William Karroll, Chase Bivona, and Desmond Saphire. Ass’t. coach is Jessica Egerter, and Coach Keith Mulvihill.

WI’s young basketball players end their season on a high note The West Islip Youth Basketball League completed its season recently and two teams enjoyed their final game at the West Islip

Community Center on Higbie Lane. Forinformation on the league go to tinyurl.com/3hy884sa

Christie Leigh Babirad/Herald photos

Baby Belle waves to fans as she makes her way around Argyle Lake.