The Village of Patchogue board of trustees will hold a public hearing on Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. on whether the board should have the option of increasing property taxes for the coming fiscal year by more than the state limit, which is currently 2 percent.

Several municipalities across Long Island have voted to increase property taxes by more than the state cap.

If Patchogue’s board votes itself that authority, it doesn’t necessarily mean property taxes will go up by more than 2 percent, mayor Paul Pontieri said.

In past years, the board has voted itself the authority without raising property taxes by more than the state cap, Pontieri said.

It’s too early to know what the budget will look like for the upcoming fiscal year that starts June 1, as department heads are submitting their budget requests now, Pontieri said. He expects any property tax increase will be just below, or right at 2 percent, in a range of 1.8 percent to 2 percent, he said.

The increase was 1.9 percent for the current fiscal year, which ends May 31.

The village, like municipalities across Long Island, is seeing higher costs for employee health care and pensions. Pension costs alone are expected to be more than $800,000 next year, Pontieri said.

For about the past 10 years, the board has used $500,000 from the village surplus to keep property tax increases to a minimum, Pontieri said. He said he expects the board will do the same for the upcoming fiscal year.

Pontieri said it is important for the village to keep some surplus funds so it has money in hand to pursue matching grants for projects, such as the $3 million revitalization of Shorefront Park. In the past 20 years, the village has received about $100 million in grants, he said. The village also used part of its surplus to pay for repairs to Mascot Dock after Superstorm Sandy before receiving reimbursement from the federal government, he said.

The board has to adopt a budget by May 1. It typically holds a public hearing sometime in April.

The date for the hearing hasn’t been set yet.

The tentative budget will be available for public inspection by March 14.