Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Sea Cliff village board adopted a $7.86 million budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year this week, along with a measure to allow the tax levy increase to exceed the state cap. The proposed spending plan is 2.89 percent larger than the current budget.
In a presentation Tuesday night, Mayor Elena Villafane noted the various rising costs the village is facing, including insurance premiums, unfunded state mandates and, most likely, fuel and energy.
“Just as you in your own home are feeling the pinch of increased costs,” Villafane said, “we here in the village are experiencing those same costs across all our budget categories.”
The proposed tax levy is roughly $6.7 million, which exceeds the state limit of roughly $6.5 million by 2.27 percent. Average homeowners in Sea Cliff can expect their taxes to increase by $159, or $13.25 per month.
Villafane emphasized that the board thought the decision to exceed the state tax cap was necessary, and that she and the trustees, Nick Pinto, George Williams, Mark Sobel and James Versocki intend to be transparent and fiscally responsible. She credited them for their work, along with Village Treasurer Judy Phelp, Clerk Sarah Beaudin and Administrator Bruce Kennedy.
“We have spent countless hours going over the budget,” Villafane said, “having meetings with our vendors, and looking at every possible place where we could cut so that we did not have to go one nickel over that which was absolutely necessary.”
“No one likes to raise taxes,” Pinto, the deputy mayor, said on Wednesday. “But this was unavoidable, and it was necessary.”
One of the “revenue highlights” in the spending plan is the village’s new policy of billing insurance providers for ambulance transports. There will be no out-of-pocket cost for residents. The revenue from the ambulance trips will be put in a reserve fund for future equipment replacement rather than being used for village operations.
General government allocations, which include health and disability insurance for village employees, will increase to roughly $2.64 million, an increase of just over $10,000. The costs of hospital and medical insurance, as well as contributions to the state retirement system have increased. The village has eliminated a staff position, which will almost fully offset these expenses.
One category of spending that will increase significantly is library transfers, the amount budgeted for library operations, to nearly $440,600, a hike of just under $140,600. The library built up a fund balance during the pandemic, which has been used to finance operations over the past three years, but the village is returning to funding the library through the regular budget because the fund balance has been depleted.
“This reflects a return to sustainable, ongoing funding,” Villafane said, “rather than reliance on one-time reserves.”
Debt service, the amount the village owes in a given year because of borrowing, will drop to just under $195,200 next year, a decrease of nearly $159,600. According to Villafane, the village has maintained low debt levels and earned a high bond rating from the state comptroller, meaning that it is on solid financial ground. This can help it negotiate advantageous borrowing agreements.
There are capital projects planned that Villafane said would lead to a higher cost of debt service in the future.
According to the presentation, the village expects to fund four equipment purchases next year, for Village Hall, the Department of Public Works and the Fire Department, with capital borrowing.
Assigned reserves are being used to make purchases for the DPW and the Fire Department as well as improvements at the Village Museum including steps, lighting and repairs. Grant matches for Fire Department equipment, a zoning update, a study of the village’s Safe Streets for All plan and the bus for the Sea Cliff Senior Outreach network will also be funded by assigned reserves.
“This approach balances responsible use of reserves with long-term financing for major capital needs.” Villafane explained.
In a statement on Wednesday, Williams reiterated the board’s view that the tax increase is necessary. “We have managed to stay within the cap and below inflation over the last few years by prudent fiscal management and judicious use of reserve funds,” he wrote. “However, we have reached a point where we simply have to increase the tax ley to maintain a sustainable financial footing for the village going forward.”
The board will hold its next public meeting on April 15.
