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Valley Stream board adopts local law to allow tax levy above state 2% cap amid resident objections
Summary
Trustees adopted Local Law 2-2026 to authorize a village property tax levy above the 2% state cap, citing storm damage and rising employee health care costs; residents pressed officials on affordability, pool fees, code enforcement and infrastructure spending. The board tabled the overall budget for further revision and must reconvene before April 20.
The Village of Valley Stream on April 13 adopted Local Law 2-2026, allowing the village to levy property taxes above the 2% cap set in state law, after officials cited unexpected winter storm costs and higher employee health-care bills.
Mayor Farr and Treasurer Michael Fox told residents the measure applies only to the village portion of property tax bills, not town, county or school levies. The board estimated the village portion of a typical tax bill at roughly $3,000 and said a 2% increase would amount to about $7 per month; piercing the cap could add to that figure if enacted.
“This is the village tax only, not town, county, or school,” the presiding official said, adding that the 2% figure is a state threshold. Treasurer Michael Fox told the meeting the village had budgeted for three years of typical winter costs but this season’s…
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