The Massapequa Park Village Board of Trustees unanimously approved a $7.95 million budget that includes a 5% tax levy increase, exceeding the tax cap, for the 2026-2027budgetat its Monday, April 27, meeting.
The tax rate will increase by 5% from 11.4205% to 11.9915% for the proposed budget. Mayor Daniel Pearl said at the board’s April 13 meeting that the tax increase equates to a $40.54 tax increase per homeowner, according to the average assessment valuation of 7,100 homes in the village.
Pearl said each budget brings its own set of challenges and that the village has battled inflation, rising costs associated with health insurance, retirement benefits, liability insurance and debt service.
“We remain committed to fiscal responsibility while continuing to deliver a high level of services our residents expect and deserve,” he said.
But John O’Brien, a longtime village resident and former trustee, said he “strongly objects” to the village raising taxes.
He contended “5% in this economy is a lot.”
But in response, Pearl said, “Raising taxes is something that we never take lightly. We need to think not just for the upcoming year, we need to look two or three years down the road.”
The budget includes a 0.58% increase in total expenditures, marking an increase from $7,906,522 to $7,952,879. The budget also has an expected revenue increase of 4.25%, increasing from $7,144,965 to $7,448,977.
Pearl said the remaining $503,902 deficit will be addressed through the use of the village’s operating surplus.
The 2026-2027 budget will be in effect from June 1 to May 31, 2027.
Source: LI Press
