HORSEHEADS, N.Y. (WENY) -- The Village of Horseheads Board of Trustees introduced their 2025-2026 budget proposal at a special board meeting Thursday night.

The proposed budget has a $12,373,479 price tag. That's more than double the current budget. The reason the proposed budget is so much larger is that the village is planning on spending around $5 million on improvements to Thorne Street Park. That's one of the major big-ticket items in the proposal.

However, most of the money needed for the project will be coming from state and federal grants, not the taxpayers, according to the proposal. Out of the $5 million total price for park improvements, one million will be coming from the village's reserves.

Overall, despite the budget having such a large price tag if approved, the budget would raise taxes 3.5%.

If approved, taxpayers would pay $6.85 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The current tax rate is $6.61 per $1,000 of assessed property value. This means the average household in the village would pay an additional $35 per year.

Village of Horseheads Mayor Kevin Adams said the budget proposal will help make improvements to the village without a big cost to taxpayers.

"We're excited. We think that a 3.5% tax increase is a very reasonable one for the amount that we're doing," said Mayor Adams. "Mind you, this is a huge undertaking; we're going for the pool and for the pickleball courts, but this also brings brand new things and brand new services to the village throughout every department here in the Village of Horseheads."

The budget proposed on Thursday is not the final budget. Mayor Adams said the board has a week to review and propose any changes before a public hearing on the budget.

The hearing is set for Thursday, April 17, at the Horseheads Village Hall.

Mayor Adams says the full budget proposal should be online Friday so residents have a chance to review it before the public hearing.