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Menands sets March 17 public hearing on local law to allow property-tax levy above 2%; residents raise concerns
Summary
The Menands Village Board introduced a local law to allow the village to exceed the 2% tax-cap ceiling if needed and set a public hearing for March 17 at 6 p.m. Residents at the meeting urged the board not to consider exceeding the cap before publishing full budget figures and argued the move undermines the law's intent.
Menands Village President introduced a local law and set a public hearing for 6 p.m. on March 17 to consider authorizing a property-tax levy in excess of the limit established in New York's general municipal law, section 3-c. The board approved the introduction and public-notice motion at its March 3 meeting.
The board characterized the local law as a procedural step to preserve the legal authority to exceed the 2% tax cap if the final budget requires it. “This is simply procedural to ensure that we have the legal authority to go over the 2% if we have to,” the Village President said when introducing the item.
Several residents told the board they were alarmed the local-law hearing was scheduled before the public had full budget numbers. A resident identified in the record as Chuck said the move “completely breaks the spirit of the law” and questioned whether the village should seek to exceed the cap before budgeting decisions are final. Steve Paul urged the board to allow public comment on agenda items before votes, saying that waiting until after decisions are made reduces the public’s ability to influence outcomes. Cindy said the crowd at the meeting reflected broad community concern about the tax-cap item.
Board members said budget details will be available at the March 13 budget workshop and that the March 17 hearing comes after that workshop. The President told residents that the board would present budget numbers and allow public input at the workshop and the subsequent public hearing.
No vote tally naming individual board members was recorded in the transcript; the motion to introduce local law and set the public hearing was moved and seconded and the board voted in favor. The local-law introduction is procedural only; a future formal vote would be required to adopt any change to the tax levy.
The hearing will be held March 17, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.; the board expects to discuss budget figures at a March 13 workshop before that hearing.
