Property taxes are going up for people living in Yonkers. It's part of next year's budget that was just adopted Tuesday afternoon by city leaders.
A 5.45%
property tax hike is part of the
$1.5 billion budget to carry the City of Yonkers through 2025. City leaders approved it by a 6-1 vote.
The budget promises a big investment in schools with millions in funding going toward bringing dozens of teachers to Yonkers Schools. It also focuses on city improvements related to infrastructure and flood mitigation.
However, the budget has received fierce backlash from some in the community over the tax increase. A report from the Office of the New York State Comptroller called some of the expenditure projections unreasonable.
"Without a real true plan for the people of Yonkers, I can't in good conscious vote for the tax increase," says Yonkers City Council Member Anthony Merante.
"I am so relieved that we have in fact passed the budget," says Yonkers City Council President Lakisha Collins-Bellamy.
The budget officially begins July 1.