The Village Board is about to pull a fast one on your wallet, and they’re hoping you won’t notice.
The Fake Budget Scheme By law, the Board must adopt a budget by May 1st. To date, the only “tentative budget” they have shown the public is a sham—a literal copy-and-paste of last year’s numbers. It contains zero information on where your tax dollars will actually go in 2026-2027.
The Bait-and-Switch While their “fake” budget claims a 0% tax increase, the Board is reportedly prepared to adopt a budget with significant property tax hikes this Wednesday. They’ve buried the legal notice in a paper few read, clearly hoping for an empty room.
The “Secret” Water Discount To make matters worse, the Board will be discussing an undocumented, potentially unlawful water discount that has only been granted to a select few. There is no public application and no clear criteria. Why are some neighbors getting a break while you pay full price?
By law, this budget adoption demands a public hearing. But the only notice about it has been in The Southern Dutchess News – a publication that few people read. There have been no social media posts, nothing on the village website, and once again no use of the village’s own community email service. Your Village Board does not want an informed public!
ATTEND THE PUBLIC HEARING
When: Wednesday, April 29th at 6PM
Where: Village Hall
The game is over. Don’t let the Board demand more of your hard-earned money while keeping you in the dark. Show up, stand up, and let them know that taxpayers demand transparency and fairness.
Your silence is their handstamp. See you there.