The City of Cortland Common Council at its meeting on Tuesday (Dec. 5). (Photo provided by Kevin L. Smith of The Cortland Voice).
The City of Cortland Common Council recently approved overriding the tax levy limit for 2024.
City officials are proposing a $34.4 austerity-based budget for 2024. The city’s proposed budget includes a 4% tax rate increase, which requires approval to override New York state’s 2% tax cap. The potentially lifted tax rate comes with an increase of $64.20 annually for the average home assessed at $90,000, according to city officials.
No one spoke at the public hearing held prior to Tuesday’s meeting for the initially proposed tax levy limit.
Mayor Scott Steve said in October that the goal for the 2024 budget is to “reduce as much as we can” and go to “bare minimums.” Steve also announced a hiring freeze in October that will go into 2024.
Cortland County Legislator and Minor Leader Beau Harbin (D-LD-2) said on Tuesday that when the county passed its 2024 budget on Nov. 16, the tax levy showed a slight decrease for city residents.
After a tax levy average of 15.5 or two dollars for every $1,000 value, Harbin said the tax levy in the city decreased to 15.12 (or two dollars for every $1000).
Mayor Steve and the Common Council are looking to adopt their 2024 budget at the Dec. 19 meeting. A breakdown of the proposed 2024 budget, along with potential policy and personnel changes, can be found here.
