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Goshen board adopts preliminary 2026 budget, sets Oct. 23 public hearing
Summary
The Town of Goshen board adopted a tentative 2026 budget with a 5.61% overall increase, set a public hearing for Oct. 23 and acknowledged the town may exceed the state'mandated 2% tax cap this year owing to retirement and health insurance cost increases.
The Town of Goshen Board on Sept. 25 adopted a tentative budget for the 2026 fiscal year that shows a 5.61% increase and set a public hearing for Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. The board acknowledged the town may exceed the 2% property tax cap this year because of higher health insurance and retirement costs. "You have a budget in front of you that through a lot of hard work has produced a budget with increase . . . of 5.61% for the year," the supervisor said, and later noted an 8% jump in health insurance and an unexpected $70,000 retirement bill.
Why it matters: The board must adopt a preliminary budget before the public hearing and final adoption. Exceeding the 2% tax cap requires the town to follow the state tax-cap process, and the board framed the tentative adoption as a necessary step to preserve the town's ability to respond if costs force a levy above 2%.
The board approved the motion to adopt Introductory Local Law Number 5 (the tax levy motion) and then moved to adopt the tentative budget as the preliminary budget for 2026. Officials said the increase translates to roughly $104 more per year for a homeowner with a $300,000 assessed value and about $31.91 for a house assessed at $200,000 in the village; outside the village, a $200,000 assessed house would see about $69.42 in additional town taxes for the year. Board members and staff attributed the higher-than-expected budget to several revenue shortfalls and cost increases: a decline in hotel/host fees (forecasted at $1,100,000 but trending about $950,000), lower mortgage tax receipts, an 8% health-insurance increase and an unexpected $70,000 increase in the town's retirement contribution.
Board members emphasized the town has kept taxes stable over the long term: one official said his personal town tax bill fell from $3,611 in February 2015 to $3,389 in February 2024. The board directed staff to publish the adopted preliminary budget on the town website once the board formally adopted it, and to hold the public hearing Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. for public comment.
Discussion vs. action: The board discussed the budget line items and revenue projections at length and conducted a roll-call vote to adopt the tentative/preliminary budget. The public hearing date was set by motion and roll call. No further budget amendments were enacted at the Sept. 25 meeting; the board will consider comments at the Oct. 23 hearing before final adoption.
What to watch next: The Oct. 23 public hearing and any materials published online ahead of that meeting, especially revenue assumptions for hotel/host fees, mortgage tax forecasts and the state retirement assessment that increased town costs.
