KINGSTON — The Kingston Common Council on Tuesday discussed the possibility of extending the city’s property tax cap for the 2026 budget, advancing a measure that would give city officials flexibility to override the state-imposed limit if necessary.

The proposal, Local Law No. 7 of 2025, received its first reading on Tuesday and if later passed would authorize Kingston to adopt a budget exceeding the state property tax cap, which generally restricts annual increases to two percent or the rate of inflation — whichever is lower.

Finance and Audit Committee Chair Alderman Rennie Scott-Childress (D-Ward 3) said the measure is not a tax hike but a procedural safeguard in the budget process. He acknowledged that some people may be confused.

“This is not a request to increase the tax levy. It

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