2026 Waterfall

"approved plans"

Setting aside capital spend increases and assessment growth Town spending is increasing 4.7% which is far above inflation and wage contracts.  It also follows a multi-year trend.  On top of this Council also supported an 0.43% charge to support the new hospital in Niagara Falls.   

The waterfall graph on this page illustrates the high level drivers to our 3.5% increase in property taxes.  Red bars are increases to our taxes, green bars are decreases.

The following is drawn directly from the Town of Pelham 2026 Approved Operating Budget, page 5,6.  Paraphrased for brevity.

"The Town’s operating budget includes reserve transfers, which are used to fund capital projects and other significant expenditures.   The Town’s reserve policies outline an approved plan that the Town needs to follow.  It has phased in targets and reserves (taxes) which must be increased sufficiently to reach minimum target balances by 2039."

The 2026 budget includes an $310,000 increase to the capital reserve contribution of 1.5% of the tax levy.  The capital is one of the largest items impacting the tax levy.

Based on these comments from Town administration there is apparently an approved plan that commits council to increasing property taxes for maybe another 14 years.  This seems to be for capital expenditures.  I will look for this long range plan to seek understanding and will share within my blog

Operating increase             4.70% 

Capital increase                   1.49%

Town spending increase   6.19%

Assessment Growth          -2.69%

Property tax increase         3.50%   

Council further approved an addition Hospital Contribution  of  0.43%