Supervisor to propose 3.53 percent tax increase for Chester budget

Town of Chester Supervisor Brandon Holdridge told the Chronicle that the budget he will submit to the town clerk this week would have a proposed 3.53 percent tax levy increase. This is above the 2.39 percent tax cap suggested by the state comptroller.

The topic was broached at the Sept. 23 town board meeting, where a local law was passed allowing the budget to surpass the tax cap. This law is passed every year, whether the budget surpasses the cap or not, but Holdridge made clear during the public hearing on the law that this year’s budget would surpass the cap. He said, “We are facing a lot of tough geopolitical issues that will make it tough to stay under that bar. It’s going to be pretty much impossible given what’s going on in the world right now.”

Asked to clarify Holdridge said global issues such as the Iran War and related increases in gas and diesel prices contributed to the higher costs the town is facing. He added that unstable bond markets raised prices on credit. He cited rising expenses for items like salt, and said health care premiums rose six percent this year. Regarding the latter, Holdridge said he believed a single-payer system would be more affordable. Also the price of retirement payments went up.

All in all Holdridge said he was looking at an eight percent tax increase before he cut the budgetary requests from department heads by over $200,000. This tax increase is in spite of the fact the town is saving $450,000 under its new agreement with the Empress ambulance service.

In 2024 Holdridge took heat for raising the tax levy by 18 percent. In 2025 the town stayed under the tax cap with about a 2 percent hike. Holdridge will deliver a public presentation on his budget in mid-October.

Holdridge will deliver a public presentation on his budget in mid-October.

Public questions prevalence of surveillance cameras

In other news, over a half dozen public speakers raised concerns about privacy and the deployment of surveillance cameras in the town. The matter was not on the agenda but has been gaining traction on social media and other venues. Also, the debate over whether to purchase a drone for the Chester police department is currently ongoing.

Two members of the Orange County Libertarian Party spoke against the cameras. Nicole Hewson, a Libertarian write-in candidate running against James Skoufis, said, “Your intentions are to infringe upon the liberties of anyone who lives, passes through, or stops to do business in Chester.”

Holdridge noted that the town has no “flock” cameras. The 11 cameras in use were authorized under grants that came before the board in 2024 and 2025 and include license plate readers. The board noted that the village of Chester has dozens more cameras in use than the town of Chester. Before the new cameras were launched in the village, a public information session was held. No such session was held in the town of Chester.

During the comments Holdridge had to bang his gavel and request the removal of one of the speakers, as she was making a commotion after her allotted time to speak.

Town opts in to state law offering tax relief for disabled veterans

The town board also opted in on a new state law that offers a 100 percent property tax exemption to 100 percent disabled veterans. The VA determines if a veterans qualifies as 100 percent disabled and their disability must be acquired in service. Holdridge said the assessor found less than a dozen residents who will qualify for the exemption. Councilman Stephen Diffley said, “It’s a small token of thanks for what our disabled veterans have given us.”

Under the law passed by the states, school districts are automatically entered into the exemption while municipalities have the option whether to offer the exemption or not.