OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Mayor Kathy Tampio said the Village of Silver Creek Budget for 2026-27 is slightly below the tax cap as of the latest Village Board meeting.

SILVER CREEK — As the village crafts its 2026-27 budget, costs are hovering right around the tax cap. As a result, the Village Board passed a local law authorizing a property tax levy in excess of the tax cap, if necessary.

Mayor Kathy Tampio said the Village’s preliminary 2026-27 budget is currently just below the tax cap with two weeks left until the Board expects to adopt the budget. Tampio hopes to reduce the total amount over the next two weeks, but in the event the Village needs to surpass the tax levy limit, as defined by General Municipal Law Section 3-c, the Village Board passed the local law to give it the authority to do so.

Many municipalities pass similar local laws each year to cover themselves in case the tax cap does not allow for enough of an increase to cover expenditures. Passing the local law does not mean the municipality will surpass the tax cap — just that it has the authority to surpass it if it deems necessary.

The preliminary budget was presented at the latest Village Board meeting. The Village will likely finalize and adopt its budget at the next meeting of the Board on Monday, April 20. The 2026-27 budget will take effect June 1, and runs through May 31, 2027.

A year ago, the Village stayed under the tax cap by $40,142. The Village tax rate was lowered by 2 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value to a rate of $13.09. In the previous year, the tax rate increased by more than 20 cents per thousand, from $12.90 to $13.11 per thousand.

The Village’s tax cap a year ago was $1,100,045 on a total budget amount of $2,367,143. The Village’s total assessed value of taxable properties was just shy of $81 million a year ago.

Also of note, Ashley Howard was reappointed as Recreation Leader for the 2026 youth recreation program at a rate of $19 per hour. Labor Supervisor Brianna Griewisch was authorized to attend New York State Highway Training School in Ithaca, June 1-3 at a cost of $175 plus necessary expenses. The Board also approved a water tap application on Main Street in the amount of $500, upon recommendation from Water/Sewer Superintendent David Voigt.

Trustee Jeff Hornburg is still looking into purchasing options for a new street sweeper. He said at this time, the Village is leaning toward purchasing a new sweeper, rather than repairing the old one. No decision has been finalized.

“No commitment has been made yet, but the discussion is moving along,” Hornburg said.

The next Mobile Food Pantry event, sponsored by the Silver Creek Food Pantry, the Village of Silver Creek, and Feedmore WNY, will be on Tuesday, April 28, from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., at the village municipal parking lot. The event is free of charge to residents of Silver Creek and other nearby communities. The Village appreciates and welcomes all volunteers.

The next meeting of the Village Board is scheduled for Monday, April 20 at 7 p.m. at the Village Hall.