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General News: Property Tax Cap Gets on Village Agenda
July 19, 2011
By Charlie B. Scirbona
The village Board of Trustees rejected a last-minute resolution, Monday that would prevent the board from raising property taxes more than two percent in any way.
Village Trustee Andrew Argenio brought a resolution to the board that would hold the village government to a pledge to, “in no way raise the property tax burden no more than 2 percent on its citizens.”
The New York state legislature passed a two-percent tax cap in June. The legislation comes with an exception for growth due to contractual obligations, such as rising pension costs. Under the new state law, a municipal government must have 60 percent of the governing body vote in favor of raising the tax levy beyond two percent.
Argenio’s resolution would stop the village from going this route.
Village Mayor Brendan Coyne said he wished he and the other board members had been made aware of the resolution before the meeting. He later voted against it.
Deputy Mayor Mark Edsall called the resolution a political stunt and added that there were certain things that affect the tax levy like contractual obligations and increased insurance costs that might require the village to call in the option to override the two-percent cap.
When Coyne asked Argenio if he would table the resolution until he and the other board members could review the resolution and the state law before they had to vote on it, Argenio said he wanted an immediate vote even if it was voted down because it would show the people who on the board would choose to raise their taxes.
The vote went ahead with Argenio and Trustee Barbara Gosda voting for the resolution and Trustee James Kane, Edsall and Coyne all abstaining, citing a lack of information. Without a majority the resolution failed.
During public comment, village resident Maureen Terwilliger said she was upset that the board would even entertain a resolution that would hold the village to only a two percent increase.
“It’s fiscally irresponsible,” said Terwilliger.
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