While Westchester County residents pay the highest property taxes in the U.S., one local community says it is bucking the tax-hike trend.

In the town of Cortlandt, Town Supervisor Linda Puglisi says "innovative thinking" has kept higher taxes at bay. For example, Puglisi says the town did away with its police force and instead contracts with Westchester County to have cops.

Puglisi says the town is also moving ahead with public-works projects while it keeps a lid on expenses. The only wild card in the budget is two union contracts still under negotiation.

Puglisi says she hopes to reach an agreement on the contracts by January.