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Mamaroneck board adopts local law, says budget will exceed GML tax cap
Summary
Trustees adopted Proposed Local Law I of 2025 to allow the village budget to exceed the state tax cap under GML §3‑c after staff said rising retirement, health insurance and $960,000 of debt service for capital projects pushed the tentative fiscal 2025–26 budget over the cap.
The Village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees voted April 14 to adopt Proposed Local Law I of 2025, a measure needed because the tentative fiscal 2025–26 budget exceeds the tax cap set by New York General Municipal Law §3‑c. Chair (speaker 1) put the motion after a staff overview of the drivers of the overage.
Village manager Kathleen (speaker 10) told the board that higher retirement and health insurance costs, together with projected debt service tied to the 2024–25 capital program (estimated at $960,000), made it “very difficult to bring this budget under the cap.” She described cost-reduction steps staff took, including eliminating the human resources department, instituting a hiring freeze and not filling multiple positions, but said the tentative budget remains over the cap.
The move to adopt the local law followed a short public hearing. Trustee (speaker 4) moved to close the hearing and to adopt the proposed local law; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The board then proceeded to close the separate public hearing on the tentative FY2026 budget and considered modest budget adjustments.
Treasurer/finance staff (speaker 12) summarized tentatively approved adjustments to the FY2026 budget, including additional appropriations of $114,007.25 for items such as a training officer in the fire department, a records management position, and an increase of $25,000 to legal fees; the board also removed a previously planned $50,000 boat storage revenue line, producing a net increase of $164,725 to the tentative budget.
Trustees thanked department heads and staff for their work preparing the budget and stressed these were difficult choices intended to preserve essential projects. Several trustees noted the adopted capital budget carries forward projects that will affect future debt service and fiscal years.
The board approved the package of related fiscal-year resolutions (summarizing the tentative budget, adopting the budget, authorizing the tax warrant and related tax and investment actions) in a consolidated vote. The village clerk will file the adopted budget and related documents as required by state law. The local law and budget actions were formally entered into the record during the meeting; follow-up materials on the capital debt schedule and specific line-item adjustments were requested by trustees for future review.
