On Thursday, Nov. 8, Chemung County Executive Tom Santulli unveiled his 18th and final budget as county executive. The proposed 2019 budget will hold the line on County property tax rate for the fourteenth straight year. “It is with great pleasure that I report to you that the 2019 County Budget maintains the tax rate at the current $6.86 per thousand of assessed valuation,” explains Santulli.
Santulli’s 2019 Budget proposal recommends a General Fund Tax Levy of $29,971,316, which is an increase of .2% over the 2018 tax levy of $29,906,109. Further, this budget proposal recommends total net appropriations of $196,681,939, for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2019. This represents an increase of $5,510,324 or 2.9% from the $191,171,615 approved budget for 2018.
”The budget that I submit to you holds the line on spending on all programs that are under our control and not impacted by the mandates of the State of New York or the federal government. As I have stated in every budget that I have submitted to the Legislature over the last 18 years, less than 20 percent of our budget costs are under our control. This fact is the reason that the New York State Association of Counties continues to demand that our State government provide additional mandate relief. Without these mandate reforms, it is only a matter of time before all counties will experience extreme financial distress and eventual insolvency,” Santulli added.
The proposed 2019 budget is now subject to review and approval by the County Legislature. The County Legislature has scheduled workshop sessions to review the proposed 2019 Budget on Nov. 13 following the Full Legislature meeting, which begins at 7 PM in the 5th floor Legislative Chambers of the Hazlett Building. The Public Hearing will take place on Nov. 19 at 7 PM with a workshop to follow. There will be a special meeting of the Legislature on Nov. 26 following the Committee Meetings to adopt the 2019 County Budget. The Proposed Budget is available for viewing in the Legislative Chambers and on the County website.
*NOTE: The “full value tax rate” is the average of the rates of the City of Elmira and the eleven towns within Chemung County. Final rates are contingent upon action by the Legislature in amending the proposed budget, state equalization rates, special district charges, etc.
To view the budget click here.