Long Beach council votes to override state tax cap and adopt 2026'27 operating budget

The Long Beach City Council voted unanimously on May 29 to enact a local law overriding the state tax levy limit and to adopt the city's operating budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026.

The vote followed staff presentations and two prior public hearings. Council members voted to "pierce the tax cap" after staff said the proposed budget includes a 3.75% levy increase, described in the meeting as roughly $229 per household. Council members said the increase responds to rising costs for health benefits, contractual raises and pensions.

Resident James Hodge used the public-comment period to condemn the special meeting'time, saying it excluded working people and pressured taxpayers. "Holding this session during standard working hours locks out the very taxpayers who will be footing this bill, giving the distinct appearance of avoiding public scrutiny," Hodge said, and asked why management raises would not be frozen before asking residents to pay more.

Council members and city staff responded that the budget process included two earlier public hearings open to the public. A council speaker noted that staff and union representatives had negotiated changes and that an errata sheet detailed adjustments to the ordinance and budget. Council member Mike thanked staff and summarized the major cost drivers, saying the budget reflects roughly $1.6 million in additional health benefits, $1.6 million in contractual raises and about $900,000 in higher pension costs and that staff kept the overall increase below the inflation rate.

The operating-budget presentation described several specific changes: creation of an events grouping to track expenses for large city events such as Irish Day and Polar Bear; restoration of some part-time highway labor funding; negotiated adjustments to lifeguard contracts for regular and interim positions; and a minor fund-balance adjustment of about $81,000 from the previous draft. The presentation referenced an attached errata sheet that the council said spelled out the edits.

On the local-law vote to override the levy limit, roll-call votes recorded "Yes" from Council members Johnson, Ennis, Reinhart, Vice President Feeney Mar and President Finn. The subsequent resolution adopting the operating budget passed by the same unanimous roll-call vote.

The council closed the special meeting after a brief procedural exchange confirming that two public hearings had already been held. President Finn concluded by thanking city staff and union representatives for their work to reach agreements reflected in the budget.

Votes at a glance: Item 1 (local law to override tax levy limit under General Municipal Law section 3C): Passed, roll-call 5-0 (Johnson, Ennis, Reinhart, Feeney Mar, Finn). Item 2 (operating budget for July 1, 2026'June 30, 2027): Passed, roll-call 5-0. The council did not take additional public comment at the special meeting, saying the hearings had occurred on earlier dates.