LIBERTY — Village of Liberty residents can anticipate a 17.59 percent tax increase as part of the upcoming 2025-2026 budget.

The reason for the steep hike in taxes? Village Mayor Joan Stoddard attributed to the villages financial struggles due to many “extraordinary expenditures” last year that included upgrades to water and sewer, as well as the change in garbage tipping fees – disrupting the fund balances and having backlash on the appropriated funds that would have carried over into the new year. 

The Village Board had previously followed the required channels to allow the surpassing of the usual maximum tax cap of two percent. Additionally, the mayor confirmed that there were no voices raised during public comment at their most recent meeting.

To give perspective, the mayor noted that with this increase, if a house is valued at $150,000, owners can expect to pay an extra $650.

The next Village meeting is to be held at 119 N Main Street on Thursday, June 12 at 7 p.m.

“Everything has gone up,” Stoddard told the Democrat. “It was this or cut services and nobody wants to do that.”