Auburn council rejects local law to override state property tax cap

The Auburn City Council on May 22 rejected Local Law No. 1 of 2025, a measure that would have authorized the city to adopt a 2025–26 budget with a property tax levy above the limit set by New York State General Municipal Law, Chapter 24, Article 2, Section 3‑c.

The vote followed public comment on the budget and months of staff work on revenue and expense projections. Councilor Susan Cuddy opposed the override, saying the council should continue looking for additional cost savings rather than raising property taxes. “I cannot support raising the tax levy at this point in time,” Councilor Susan Cuddy said during debate. Councilor Kent said the local law would only allow the council the option to exceed the cap later in the process: “This vote does not hold us to increasing above the limit. But it gives us the option if we need to.”

City staff had presented the manager’s proposed Fiscal Year 2025–26 budget at an earlier hearing, and the local law was offered under subdivision 5 of GML §3‑c, which permits a governing body to override the tax cap by local law approved by at least 60% of the members. Councilors voted in roll call: Councilor Kent—yes; Councilor Cuddy—no; Councilor Clarko—no; Mayor Genentino—no. With the motion failing on the roll call, the council did not adopt the override and therefore did not commit itself to a tax levy above the cap for 2025–26.

Why this matters: The vote limits the council’s formal ability to exceed the state tax cap during adoption of the coming fiscal year’s budget. City officials and several residents had argued both that the city needs flexibility to maintain services and that increasing the levy risks burdening residents on fixed incomes. The council will continue budget work within the cap unless it later takes another formal vote to adopt an override.