In an unanimous vote, Village of Pelham Mayor Chance Mullen, Deputy Mayor Mike Carpenter and all five village trustees passed the mayor’s proposed budget at the village board meeting on Tuesday. The budget raises taxes in the village above the state regulated tax cap and increases expenses by 2.37%. 

The 2021-2022 spending plan increases taxes 6.71%, breaking the 2.92% cap set by the state.

“As revenues aren’t coming back anytime soon,” said Mullen, “this budget puts us on a path to sustainability.”

Members of the village board are optimistic for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins on June 1.

“As people get vaccinated, they can get back out into the downtown,” Mullen said. This increased activity should bring back some of the revenue sources that the village lost during last year’s shutdown.

The board’s unanimous support for the budget reflects the ambition for a fiscal year that can help the Village of Pelham return to its pre-pandemic state, officials said.