The City of Glen Cove’s proposed $69.3 million budget for 2026 will be passed by Tuesday, Oct. 28, with or without another hearing.
The budget hearing at the Oct. 14 meeting resulted in a vote not sufficient to adopt the budget. Three board members, all Republicans, voted in favor of it, while Democrats voted against it, and Mayor Pam Panzenbeck abstained from the vote as she is prohibited from voting on the budget in the city’s charter.
Council Member Daniell Fugazy Scagliola also abstained from the vote.
Four votes are required to pass the budget, according to Tip Henderson, the city’s attorney.
The charter also says that if no budget is adopted before the fourth Tuesday in October, then the budget will automatically be passed.
“By the 4th Tuesday of October, the City Council shall adopt the budget with or without amendment,” the city charter says. “Should the City Council fail to adopt the budget by the 4th [Tuesday] of October, the proposed budget as submitted by the Mayor and as amended by resolution shall be considered to have been adopted.”
At the meeting, Council Member Grady Farnan moved to close the public hearing permanently and put it on the agenda for it to be voted on, with both motions passing with four votes.
Multiple board members expressed frustration with the decision, arguing that two public hearings about the budget have been customary in the past.
Panzenbeck said she did not expect the budget to change in the coming weeks when asked at the Oct. 14 meeting.
Efforts to solicit additional comment about whether there will be another public budget hearing were unavailing.
The 2026 budget totals $69.3 million, representing an increase of almost $4 million from last year. Taxes will not be increased and the levy will be $33.3 million.
Last year, the Glen Cove council approved a $65.4 million budget, which included a tax increase of almost 2%. Prior to last year, city taxes had not been raised for three consecutive years.
The city council has a meeting scheduled for Oct. 28.
