The Village Board of Trustees approved a local law to override New York’s tax levy limit during a brief special meeting Monday, advancing the next step in adopting the village’s 2026–27 budget.
The meeting, which lasted only a few minutes, included a required public hearing on both the proposed budget and the tax cap override. However, no members of the public attended or offered comment before the hearing was opened and quickly closed.
Trustees then unanimously approved Local Law No. 7 of 2026, which allows the village to exceed the state-imposed property tax cap when finalizing its budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The law authorizes the board to adopt a spending plan that requires a tax levy above the statutory limit, a step municipalities often take to maintain services amid rising costs.
The proposed general fund budget totals approximately $3.89 million in both revenues and expenditures, balancing without a surplus or deficit. Major revenue sources include roughly $1.59 million in property taxes and significant income from tourism-related operations such as campground receipts, which are projected at $650,000, and parking at Clute Park, estimated at $100,000.
On the spending side, police services account for one of the largest portions of the budget at about $473,500 in personnel costs, along with additional funding for overtime, equipment, and insurance. Other major expenditures include public works, infrastructure maintenance, and employee benefits such as health insurance and retirement contributions.
The budget also outlines separate enterprise funds for electric, water, and sewer operations, each structured to balance revenues and expenses independently. The electric fund, however, is projected to operate at a deficit of more than $900,000, highlighting ongoing financial pressures in that system.
With no additional discussion or new business raised, trustees adjourned the meeting shortly after approving the tax cap override, clearing the way for final budget adoption in the coming weeks.
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