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Champlain trustees approve local law to override tax cap as sewer shortfall looms
Summary
The Village of Champlain Board of Trustees adopted a local law authorizing a property tax levy above the state cap for fiscal year beginning June 1, 2025, citing a sewer fund shortfall and rising electricity costs that contributed to deficits across funds.
The Village of Champlain Board of Trustees voted in February to adopt a local law authorizing the village to levy property taxes in excess of the limit set by New York General Municipal Law §3-c for the fiscal year beginning June 1, 2025.
The measure — introduced as Local Law No. 1 of 2025 — requires a 60 percent vote of the governing body to override the tax cap; the board approved the local law by roll call at the meeting.
Trustees discussed the fiscal context before the vote. The village treasurer (Juanita) reported that all three major funds — general, water and sewer — were projected to end the year in deficit without adjustments. The treasurer said the sewer fund faces a particularly acute challenge and that the village will need to come up with roughly $50,000 for a sewer payment due in July. She said the village has used fund balance in recent years to balance budgets but cannot rely on reserves to cover this year’s sewer shortfall.
Board members also noted a roughly $10,000 increase in electricity costs related to treatment-plant operations and other delivery charges. Trustees agreed to schedule a budget workshop to examine options; the board set a workshop for Feb. 26 at 5:30 p.m.
During the meeting the board also discussed code-book updates and other budget items. The board approved a motion to pay for an updated municipal code book and accepted transfers and warrants as part of routine financial business.
What the local law says (summary): the board may adopt a budget for the fiscal year commencing 06/01/2025 that requires a real property tax levy in excess of the limit otherwise prescribed under General Municipal Law §3‑c. The law takes effect upon filing with the New York State Secretary of State.
No specific tax-rate increase was set at the meeting; trustees authorized the local-law mechanism that allows the village to set a levy above the statutory cap when a future adopted budget requires it.
Quotes from the meeting included a treasurer’s assessment that “all 3 funds are in the deficit” and that the sewer payment “is gonna be due in July,” which trustees cited as a primary reason to seek tax-override authority.
The board scheduled a budget workshop for Feb. 26 at 5:30 p.m. to review revenue options, service rates and potential cost reductions.
